The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Wednesday that the Minister of Solid Mineral, Kayode Fayemi, former Deputy National Chairman (South) Engr. Segun Oni and Political Adviser to the President, Senator Babefemi Ojudu and 30 other aspirants have been cleared by the party to participate in this weekendโs governorship primaries of the party.
Party however assured all the aspirants that it has no preferred candidate for the governorship primary of the party in Ekiti state, assuring all aspirants for the primary that the party was committed to conduct tong a free and fair primary with a level playing field for all.
Inaugurating the Umaru Tanko Al-Makura led five-member primary election committee, the National Organising Committee, Senator Ostia Izunaso said the APC was poised to win the Ekiti governorship election and charged the committee to ensure a transparent exercise.
The Ekiti governor primary for the APC is scheduled to hold on May 5 in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
He said the committee should rely on the partyโs guidelines for the nomination of candidates for public office, particularly section 14 (iii) which stipulates the composition of the Electoral College/delegates, secret balloting at a venue in the state capital and declaring winner an aspirant with the highest vote.
โIf we conduct a transparent primary, any aspirant that wins will surely become the next governor of Ekiti state. The party has no preferred candidate, there is no such thing in our lexicon. It does not exist. All aspirants are equal until after the electionโ Izunaso stated.
The National Organising Secretary who disclosed that the official delegates list has been given to all aspirants said no petition has been received on the list. He said all thirty-three aspirants have been cleared by the Partyโs National Working Committee (NWC) to contest the primaries.
Izunaso urged the primary election committee to convene a stakeholders meeting with aspirants and party chieftains in the state to agree on modalities for the primaries.
The Governor of Nasarawa State, H.E. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and Chairman of the Primary Election Committee assured that the committee will do a good job.
โWe thank the Party for considering us worthy to carry out this very critical and important assignment at this point in time. As far as we are concerned, we consider this assignment as a family affair which has to be done in strict conformity with our Partyโs guidelines and the constitution. I wish to assure the National Working Committee that by the special Grace of God, we as members of the Ekiti governorship primary will do justice to this exercise.
โWe will ensure free and fair election, conformity and adherence to all the guidelines so that by the time the exercise is over, the Party will become stronger and more cohesive. This will be the beginning of the assurance of our great party to reclaim the mandate in Ekiti stateโ the Governor said.
Other members of the primary election committee include: Hon. Magaji Aliyu (Secretary); Mr. Duke Oshodin; Barr. Robert Okwuego and Mr. Tunde Balogun. The appeal committee include: Capt. Bala Jibrin (Secretary) and Mrs. Lilian Obenwa.
