Tension and uncertainty currently pervade over the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Ekiti as the state’s chapter of the party insists that the primary election scheduled for today (Thursday) has not been postponed despite protests and mass pull out from the exercise by aggrieved aspirants.
The party said all necessary process necessary for the conduct of the primary election in the state has been concluded hence there is no need for postponement.
The development in Ekiti state comes a day after Governor Kayode Fayemi, had on Wednesday hosted officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to a special dinner, said to be lavish at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. In photographs which emerged early Thursday, Fayemi was seen fraternising with the INEC officials deployed to the state to statutorily supervise the APC governorship primaries there.
Earlier, seven aspirants on the platform of the APC withdrew from the party’s primary election in Ekiti, citing allegations that the Governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi was attempting to impose former Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, as the Ekiti APC governorship candidate.
The seven also called for the postponement of the primary election, in other to provide a level playing field for everyone.
Among those who withdrew from the election are; former Minister of Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, a former governorship aspirant, Kayode Ojo.
Others include; Demola Popoola; Femi Bamisile; former House of Representatives member, Bamidele Faparusi; National Assembly member, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; and Afolabi Oluwasola.
However, Secretary, Ekiti State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Victor Olabimtan, in a statement on Thursday insisted that the party primary will continue in all the party’s 177 wards of Ekiti.
The statement reads, “The Ekiti State APC governorship primary election Committee wishes to assure the general public that a level playing field that will guarantee fairness, openness and transparency has been adopted by the Committee.
“It is an incontrovertible fact that every member of the appointed Electoral Officers for today’s primary election is a bonafide member of Ekiti State APC.
“You will recall that during the stakeholders’ meeting between the Committee, aspirants and others yesterday, this issue was raised and exhaustively discussed, and to reinforce confidence in the process, it was agreed that each aspirant should nominate 20 people each to be part of the process. All the aspirants took advantage of this window of opportunity and submitted the list of their nominated electoral officers.
“All the submitted lists have been added to the existing arrangement, assigned into various wards and local governments. They have all been incorporated.
“We hereby call on all well-meaning APC members in Ekiti State to go to their respective wards to fully exercise their voting right without fear or intimidation. The adopted option A4 is the most transparent form of election.”
On the other hand, opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday held its primaries for the governorship election.
The immediate past Chairman of the Ekiti state chapter of the party, Olabisi Kolawole, emerged as the winner after he polled a total of 671 votes.
Eight aspirants – including former Governor Ayodele Fayose’s deputy and PDP candidate in the 2018 election, Professor Olusola Eleka – participated in the delegate primary election that held in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Others include former PDP National Treasurer Wale Aribisala, as well as Bisi Kolawole, Kayode Adaramodu, Lateef Ajijola, and Mrs Titilayo Owolabi-Akerele.
