The Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress has received three complaints regarding the governorship primary in Ondo State held on Saturday.
The committee, led by Governor Usman Ododo, declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the election, who competed against 16 other candidates and emerged as the party’s flag bearer for the November 16 governorship election.
Mohammed Abubakar, the head of the five-member appeal committee, announced during a press conference in Akure that the petitions were filed by Olugbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, and Wale Akinterinwa.
These complaints revolved around allegations of the primary not taking place in all 203 wards of the state and the presence of irregularities in the process.
“So far, we have received three petitions; one from Olugbenga Edema, Jimmy Odimayo and the last one from Adewale Akinterinwa. The situation I met on 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 this morning, they were able to declare the results of the primary. It is traditional in APC to set up a committee like this, in order to follow up on the fallout of the primary election.
“It’s 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,” the committee head said.
Mr Abubakar said that the committee would be expecting more petitions from other aggrieved aspirants between Monday and Tuesday afternoon.
According to him, the secretary of the committee, Obiocha Israel, will be available at the APC secretariat in Akure for two days to receive petitions.
“The committee will be here till Tuesday to collect whatever complaints that may be. Let me use this opportunity to assure members of our party that this committee intends to be thorough and transparent in treating any complaint that it receives.
“I assure you that within 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.
“I call on the aspirants that have complaint(s) to please, feel free to forward it to us. We have since established our office at the headquarters of the party,” he said.
