By Akin Olubadejo – Abuja — July 10, 2020

 Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee  has upheld the decision of the dissolved National Working Committee of the party by adopting indirect option for the forthcoming Primary election of APC in Ondo State come on July 20, 2020.

Our investigation revealed that the NWC under the leadership of former APC Chairman  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that earlier settled for indirect primary did notified the Independent National Electoral Commission, had earnestly did that before the virtual meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party that dissolved Oshiomole and his team.

Chief Olusola Oke, an aspirant having learnt of the new dimension has voiced his dissatisfaction  against the an indirect primary voting option that allows delegates to vote at an election at a designated venue as stipulated in Electoral Act to elect candidates.

Electoral  (Amendment) Act 2010 No. 10 A 1223 stipulates that:

(1) A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

Nomination of candidates by parties

 (2) The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political party for the various elective positions shall be by direct or indirect primaries.

 (3) A political party that adopts the direct primaries procedure shall ensure that all aspirants are given equal opportunity of being voted for by members of the party.

 (4) A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall adopt the procedure outlined below-

(b) in the case of nomination to the positions of Governorship candidate, a political party shall, where it intends to sponsor candidates-

 (i) hold a special congress in the State Capital with delegates voting for each of the aspirants at the congress to be held on a specified date appointed by the National Executive Committee  (NEC) of the party; and

 (ii) the aspirant with the highest number of votes at the end of the voting shall be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and the aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the Commission as the candidate of the party, for the particular State;

APC 2014 Constitution (as amended) stipulates that candidates for elective positions can only emerge through three options: direct, indirect or by consensus arrangement.

Objecting to the indirect primary election option in Abuja after the adoption by the Caretaker
Committee, Chief Olusola Oke said the adoption of indirect primary is a breach of the party constitution.

claiming that the only option best suited for Ondo State was for the Governor Buni led committee to adopt the direct primary as done recently in Edo State.

According to Chief Olusola Oke, “There is no way indirect primaries can take place in Ondo State today. Article 13 of the APC is cleared on it that if you want to do an indirect primary, you must convey a special congress to constitute an electoral college to elect the delegates.

“But because of time constraint, the only option open for our party is to do direct primaries as we have just had in Edo State which we went peacefully.”

Meanwhile, the incumbent governor and leading aspirant for the party ticket, Rotimi Akeredolu has described the screening committee led by Tijjani Musa Tumsa as “very thorough.”

In the contrary, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on his Facebook wall commended the efforts of the APC NWC at 7.07 am on July 7, 2020 as such:

“ I have just undergone screening by my party @OfficialAPCNg. Members of the committee were thorough, scrutinizing all documents amongst other questions. I believe the party made excellent choices of the committee members. Very professional and courteous.

Commenting on his Facebook wall, Akeredolu, who on Wednesday scaled the screening hurdle described the screening team as diligent.”

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