A Coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) support groups in Ondo State on Wednesday called on the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) to postpone the primary election slated for July 20th for another two weeks.
The coalition, in a statement by the national coordinator for Ondo APC Mandate group, Comrade Gbenga Bojuwomi, appealed to the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni to postpone the primary to enable aspirants and party members get prepared for the mode that would be eventually announced by the party.
The group said the demand for a postponement was not unconnected with the current reality in the state.
According to Bojuwomi: “There is no traces anywhere that in 4 days time, a primary election that will produce their next governor would take place”.
He argued that for “the primary that is seen to be truly free, fair, credible and acceptable to all interests, then, the fixed date of 20th July must give way for a later date in order to give room for the cleared aspirants to have ample time to interact with members after being unveiled and the mode of election made public.
“The coalition of interest groups in the APC in Ondo state, for the sake of our party and her teeming members and supporters across the state, calling on the Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee (CTC) of our great party to delay the governorship primary election for, at least, a week to give room for adequate preparation by aspirants and party members.
“It is a public record that less than seven days to the fixed date for the primary election, aspirants are still busy attending meetings with series of committees, ranging from the CTC to the screening and appeal committees in Abuja, a distance of about 323 kilometers (approximately 174 nautical miles) away from the state capital, when they are supposed to be here in Ondo state talking to party members who will determine who flies the party’s flag in the October 10th governorship election.
“In the same vein, members of the party are still lost on which mode of primary election would be finally adopted by the CTC as news available to them is that eleven out of the twelve aspirants vying for the party ticket are pushing for the direct mode while just one is pushing for the indirect mode of primary. This has created a lot of confusion in the state and party members would need some time to get their acts together to prepare for whatever mode would be adopted at the end of the day.
“While we appreciate the work of the CTC and all the committees put in place to ensure the party presents a capable, competent, credible and suitably qualified candidate, the CTC and the leadership of the party, both at the national and state level should also not forget the fact that the people, on whose behalf they hold positions and act, should be carried along in every way and be properly briefed on the resolutions at every point.
“It is our belief that the Buni-led CTC, who prides itself in promoting and preserving the interest of the party, above and beyond any individual’s interest, will do the needful in ensuring that no aspirant is given an undue advantage over the others as we approach this very sensitive period in the history of the APC in Ondo state.
“As we move closer to the October 10th governorship election in Ondo state, we reiterate our commitment to the progress and development of the APC as our party, and Ondo state as our home, while we assure the party leadership of our unflinching support for the party and whoever emerges the party candidate in a free, fair and credible primary election.
“Meanwhile the beauty of this postponement is that it will not in any way affect the provision of the electoral law rather it will ensure adequate preparation for both the party and the aspirants within the purview of the given 2-week-period,” the coalition maintained