THE All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary Election Appeal Committee for Ondo State said on Monday, April 22, that it had received three petitions challenging the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in the governorship primary concluded on Sunday.
Chairman of the Appeal Committee and immediate past governor of Bauchi State, Muhammed Abubakar, told journalists in Akure that the petitions were received from Wale Akinterinwa, Jimi Odimayo and Gbenda Edema.
Recall that the Chairman of election committee and Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, had earlier on that day declared Aiyedatiwa as winner of the primary election with 48,460 votes across 18 local government councils to defeat 15 other aspirants.
Before the declaration, most aspirants had expressed dissatisfaction with the process and called for its outright cancellation.
But Ododo had, at the APC secretariat in Akure, replied that the development was not strange; hence the party always has an appeal committee to look into complaints and grievances emanating from primaries.
According to Abubakar: “The situation I met on the ground was an inconclusive election that needed to be repeated in one local government. They were able to repeat the election in that local government and by early Monday morning, they were able to declare the results of the primary.
“It is traditional in the APC to set up a committee, like this, to follow up on the fallout of the primary election. It is as a result of this that I invited the gentlemen of the press to be here today, so that I can announce to them, the presence of this committee and the readiness of this committee to receive whatever complaints as a fallout from the primary election.”
He stated that his committee would look thoroughly into the three petitions, adding: “I can assure you that within a space of a few days, we will consider the total number of petitions we received and render a report to the national headquarters of our party before the party takes a final decision on the issue of the primary.
“As I’m speaking with you, only three petitions have been received.”
Meanwhile, Aiyedatiwa has expressed gratitude to all the stakeholders, particularly the 15 other aspirants that participated in the primary and urged them to support him to win the November 16, this year, governorship election.
“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer. Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilised our members and removed apathy.
“You have also brought in numerous new members to the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state,” he said.
