A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Bamidele Oloyeloogun, has expressed worry that the APC may lose the forthcoming governorship election if Saturday’s primary is not cancelled.
Oloyeloogun, a former speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, stated this at a press conference in Akure on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
Recall that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa emerged as the candidate of APC for the November 16 governorship election, having scored 48,569 votes in the poll, to defeat other 15 aspirants.
Usman Ododo, the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi, declared Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the primary on Monday.
But, Oloyeloogun described the conduct of the primary as a “fraud” against the party and its members in the state.
He warned that if the April 20 primary was not nullified by the APC leadership, the party “will lose” the November 16 governorship election in the state.
“As a leader in APC in Ondo State, l want to warn that if the purported April 20 primary is not cancelled, APC will lose the Nov. 16 governorship election,” Oloyeloogun said.
“It is on record including that of the Independent National Electoral Commission, that there was no ward out of the 203 wards in the state that election was held, they just manufactured figures.
“The evidence is that, today our members are not jubilating because the process that led to the announcement and declaration of the winner was a fraud perpetrated against them.
“Today in Ondo State, APC members have their placard in their heart and they will display it during the Nov. 16 governorship election no matter the level of intimidation.
“As someone who had contested election four times and won, I know the implications of the charade called primary on Saturday.
“Those who came to Ondo State to perpetrate this evil called primary against our members should be held accountable when the chips are down and the seed germinates in November.”
Oloyeloogun appealed to President Bola Tinubu to salvage the party by ensuring the cancellation of the primary election.
