By Duchess Ifeoluwa
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Friday charged aspirants and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct themselves peacefully during the party’s National Assembly primary elections, warning against violence, rancour and acts capable of undermining the credibility of the exercise.
The governor gave the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the APC National Assembly Election Committee at the party secretariat in Akure, ahead of the House of Representatives and Senate primaries scheduled for Saturday and Monday respectively.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that Ondo State had built a reputation for peaceful political engagements and urged party members to sustain the tradition throughout the primary process.
“There should be no rancour. There should be no fight. This is our party affair. Everyone should cooperate with one another,” the governor said.
He assured aspirants and party leaders that his administration would not interfere in the conduct of the primaries, adding that adequate security arrangements had already been put in place across the state’s 203 wards to guarantee a peaceful exercise.
According to him, the primaries remain strictly internal party affairs and would not disrupt normal social or economic activities across the state.
“This is purely party affairs. It has nothing to do with public election involving members of the public,” he added.
The governor further directed eligible APC members to report at their respective ward centres by 8am with valid party membership cards, explaining that Permanent Voter Cards would not be required for participation in the direct primary exercise.
He noted that the direct primary method was not new to the state, recalling that the same system was adopted during the party’s last governorship primary in Ondo State.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the APC National Assembly Election Committee, Hon. Iboroma Harry Dabibi, assured party stakeholders that the primaries would be conducted in line with the party constitution, the Electoral Act and established guidelines.
Dabibi explained that the APC had approved both consensus and direct primary options, with stakeholders in Ondo State eventually adopting the direct primary system.
He said financially up-to-date party members would vote by queuing behind posters of their preferred aspirants in the various wards across the state.
“All financially up-to-date party members will queue behind the poster of their preferred candidate across the 203 wards of the state,” he stated.
He disclosed that voting would commence at 8am, while collation of results would be carried out at designated centres across the nine federal constituencies before final declaration of winners.
The committee chairman also warned against any attempt to disrupt the process, insisting that misconduct would not be tolerated.
He urged aspirants to accept the outcome of the exercise in good faith, noting that only one candidate would emerge for each elective position.
Also speaking, the Ondo State APC Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, said the party had concluded all logistical and security arrangements necessary for a smooth and credible exercise.
Kolawole stated that the party leadership remained committed to unity, discipline and internal cohesion throughout the primary process.
The National Assembly Primary Election Committee is chaired by Hon. Iboroma Harry Dabibi, with other members including Hon. Chief Tony Daniel Utazi, Hon. Ugboaga Collins Ugochukwu, Hon. Barr. Chiedu Elemunoh, Sola Ojewusi and Jessy Jangnap, while Adamu Moh. Shamaki serves as Secretary.
Similarly, the National Assembly Primary Election Appeal Committee is chaired by Barr. Smart Iheazor, with Comrade Sunday Opeyemi Aremu, Hon. Aminu Bala Wudilawa and Ayuba Samaila as members, while Adebola Ilesanmi serves as Secretary.
Among dignitaries present at the stakeholders’ meeting were the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, members of the State Executive Council, lawmakers, party leaders and other stakeholders.
