Ondo 2020: Moves by aggrieved APC aspirants to dissolves excos suffer setback

Eleven governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state vying to be the party’s flagbearer in the October 10 governorship election have reportedly seen their plots to dissolve executives in state and local government levels suffer a setback.

Their wish for the election of the governorship candidate to come through a Direct Primary System also suffered a setback as the indirect primary system has already been approved by the APC national working committee and sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The APC governorship aspirants like the Executive Director, Engineering and Technical Services, Niger/Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Engr Ife Oyedele; Chief Olusola Oke and former Deputy Clerk of National Assembly, Mr. Olayide Adelami are now pressurising the national caretaker committee to appoint a three-man Adhoc delegate that would vote during the indirect mode of primary scheduled to hold July 20.

It was learnt that the request by the aggrieved aspirants, according to a source among the aspirants, has also been turned down because time was already against such a move as the party national caretaker committee need at least 21-day to notify INEC on the mode of the primary election, a constitutional provision that can no longer be met.

Four of the Aspirants were reportedly in Lagos to meet leader in the party to influence the National Caretaker Committee to either adopt direct primary or dissolve the current executive of the party.

The aspirant who pleaded annonymous said: “The constitution is against our advocacy. Unfortunately, we met a brick wall in Abuja. We were also unable to meet our leader yesterday in Lagos. We were told that the party had already communicated the decision to use indirect primary for Ondo to INEC since the reign of Adams Oshiomole as the party national chairman. It is now beyond their power.

“We are now pursuing the dissolution of party Excos from the state to the ward level because the faction of the party recognized by the National Caretaker Committee and INEC is under the control of the Governor. So if we go by indirect primary, it will be a waste of resources, time and energy for us.”