An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for Ondo North Senatorial District, Mr Alexander Ajipe, has alleged widespread irregularities and manipulation of results in the party’s senatorial primaries.
Ajipe, at a news conference on Wednesday in Owo, said he rejected the entire exercise and its outcome.
The APC Senatorial primaries were held on May 18, while the results were announced on May 19.
According to him, the declaration of Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye as winner of the May 18 primary is a charade, and party officials are undermining democratic processes in the four Akoko Local Government Areas.
“Collation and returning officials in Akoko South-West, Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West and Akoko South-East, deceived APC members to write results on plain sheets of paper.
“They promised to transfer them to the official result sheets at the local government collation centres. After collecting the papers, the officers disappeared.
“The officials failed to appear at both the local government collation centres and the senatorial headquarters in Owo, leading to confusion and the circulation of multiple versions of results on social media.
“Available results before the disruption showed that different aspirants were leading in various local governments, while the process was abruptly halted before proper collation could be concluded.
“What happened in the four Akoko local government areas was not an election. It was allocation of votes in broad daylight.
“No materials, no accreditation, no voting, no proper collation. This is an assault on democracy and a direct insult to APC members who turned out in good faith,” he said.
The aspirant thanked supporters across Ondo North Senatorial District for remaining peaceful.
Ajipe expressed confidence in the party’s appeal panel and National Working Committee to review the conduct of the primary and ensure justice.
