An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Mr Kayode Ojo, has accused his party of conducting a fraudulent governorship primary election in the state.
Ojo said what the Governorship Primary Election Committee, led by Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State, did with the conduct of the exercise in Ekiti, was a complete disgrace to APC.
To him, the exercise was shamelessly rigged by Badaru and APC leaders.
He alleged that figures were concocted for aspirants even when no election was held.
The aggrieved APC aspirant, who spoke while addressing newsmen on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, said that the exercise made mockery of democracy.
Ojo is one of the seven aspirants who alleged that Thursday’s governorship primary was hijacked and called for its cancellation.
He alleged that there were widespread fraud and manipulation.
“What we witnessed in Ekiti on Thursday and the day preceding the election showed that the election had been compromised even before it was conducted.
“With this, it was clear that the committee was not in Ekiti for a credible poll, but to see to the emergence of the anointed aspirant.
“But for now, I can confirm to you that the APC has no legal and credible candidate in Ekiti. By the results, one could attest to the fact that those figures were fake, concocted by the committee to suit their purpose,” he said.
Ojo further explained that the aspirants asked the committee about the personalities that would be used as Returning Officers on Wednesday, it did not give any useful answer.
He said that majority of the people used as Returning Officers were members of the APC state executives, appointees of government and elected party members, who are stooges and parts of the campaign council.
“The election committee asked us to nominate 20 people to be used as Returning Officers, up till now, we did not see where our lists were included, the original list was not updated.
“Those we gave to them were not posted to where they would monitor election,” he said.
He said what happened in Ekiti was inappropriate, unethical and unacceptable.
Ojo said: “nobody had won any election here in Ekiti. We all reject this craziness.
“We have resolved to stand against this injustice. We are seeking every peaceful avenue to ensure that we have a process that would produce a credible candidate in Ekiti. It will be a disaster to APC to approach this election in this disgraceful manner.”
The aggrieved aspirant advised the National leadership of the party and the Presidency to intervene in the primary, which he described as nullity and illegality.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene before APC crumbles in Ekiti.
The Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar-led seven-man Ekiti Governorship Primary Election had in a statement signed by its Secretary, Mr Victor Olabimtan on Thursday night denied the allegation that the election was hijacked.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday night, Badaru Abubakar, who is also the Jigawa State Governor, said his committee was fair enough to every aspirant, as they allowed for free, fair and violence-free primary.
Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the former Secretary to Ekiti State Government, was declared the winner of Thursday’s governorship primary, with a vote of 101,703.
