The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has dismissed the report that the governorship primary election was not held in the state, describing the report as shocking and not credible.
The party reacted to a media report which quoted a report of the Independent National Electoral Commission claiming that there was no election during the primary in some wards in the state.
In a statement issued by the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye on Monday, the party maintained that the election was held in all the Local Government Areas of the state except in Ifedore and Ilaje LGs.
Kalejaiye said, “For the records, elections took place in all the 18 Local Government Areas in the state. There were agitations in the Ifedore and Ilaje Local Government areas. While the results in the entire Ifedore Local Government were cancelled, that of Ilaje affected about four wards, which were also cancelled.
“The essence of such cancellations was to emphasise the validity of the entire process and lend credence to fairness. The voting strength of our members in the affected areas were not substantial enough to dent the credibility of the process, nor affect the margin with which the candidate emerged.
“The party, therefore, doubts the authenticity of the report, credited to an agent of the INEC. The state chapter cautions against needless desperation on the part of some members who have vowed “to do everything possible to discredit the process.”
He urged the party’s supporters to discountenance the spurious report and focus “on the bigger task ahead to win the governorship election and retain the Sunshine State for the APC. ”
The ruling party held its primary across the 18 LGs of the state on April 20, 2024, and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa won the election after scoring 48,596 votes to defeat other 15 contestants.
However, not satisfied with the primary, five of the aspirants petitioned the primary election’s appeal committee to challenge the outcome of the primary.
The aggrieved aspirants include a former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa; a member of the House of Representatives, Jimi Odimayo; a former chairman of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission, Mr. Gbenga Edema; a senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim, and Folakemi Omogoroye, among others.
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