Three aspirants in the Saturday primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Ondo State governorship election have filed petitions against the conduct of the election and the emergence of the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the party's candidate.
The primary appeals committee set up for the exercise said it had received three petitions from Olugbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, and Adewale Akinterinwa. Mohammed Abubakar, the chairman of the five-member Appeals Committee, made the disclosure at a briefing with journalists in Akure.
Abubakar, an erstwhile governor of Bauchi State, explained that the three aggrieved aspirants complained that the primary did not hold in their various wards and that the process was marred with irregularities.
"So far, we have received three petitions. One from Olugbenga Edema, Omoba Jimmy Odimayo, and the last one from Adewale Akinterinwa after the conclusion of the primary and declaration of the candidate of the party," Abubakar said.
Flanked by other members of the Appeal Committee, Abubakar said the committee will be expecting more petitions from any other aggrieved aspirants until Tuesday afternoon, before it adjudicates on them.
"The committee intends to be thorough. So, within the space of two days, we will sit down and deprive ourselves of sleep to attend to any issues arising from the primary. The committee intends to do a thorough job, and we will be fair," he said.
Daily Trust had reported that the APC primary was held at the weekend in the 203 wards of the state amid protests from aggrieved aspirants.
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After the primary, the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was declared the winner and candidate of the APC for the November 16 guber poll with 48,569 votes, defeating other governorship aspirants who took part in the shadow election.
Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi governor and Chairman of the election primary committee, announced that Aiyedatiwa emerged victorious after defeating Akinfolarin Samuel (15343 votes), Olusola Oke (14915 votes), Jimoh Ibrahim (9456 votes), and 12 others with a combined 6,895 votes.
Speaking after his victory, Aiyedatiwa urged his co-contenders not to bear grudges but to work together with him in the interest of the party in the governorship election.
"Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power," Aiyedatiwa said.
Daily Trust reported that the election, which was fraught with violence and alleged irregularities, had received criticism from some aspirants who alleged non-arrival of materials and officials in some wards, among others. They had also demanded the cancellation of the election and a fresh exercise to be conducted under the leadership of a different committee.
Recall that the party's primary election in Edo State in February also suffered similar criticism and protests from aspirants, leading to a 're-run' poll, where a different candidate from the one earlier announced emerged.
