Ondo 2024: We Reject The Charade Called APC Primaries – Olusola Oke Campaign Council 

While speaking to the media on Sunday 21st April, 2024, the spokesman of the Olusola Oke Campaign Council, Ojo Oyewande said, “The Chief Olusola Oke Campaign Council will like to inform the National  Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Presidency as well as the general public of its resolve, after careful examination of available facts on the so-called gubernatorial primaries conducted by the National Secretariat led by Kogi State Governor, H.E Ahmed Usman Ododo, who chairs the Election Committee on Saturday, April 20, 2024, to reject, in its entirety the shambolic exercise called party gubernatorial primaries”

“The decision of our Campaign Council to reject the exercise is not unconnected with the unequivocal facts that;

1. The whole process from the outset was targeted to favour a preferred candidate by a group. As much as The Presidency in the magnanimity of Mr. President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR gave every aspirant level playing ground to sell their manifesto to party members. However, it appears a clique had a different motive different from upholding democratic tenets as exemplified by the action of Mr. President.

2. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo obviously came down to execute a hatchet job. As the Chairman of the Election Committee ,who was expected to have been around at least a day before did not come until the early hours on the election day. Ostensibly, he had his job cut out for him and we were not surprised of his public statement in the media of a free and fair election.

3. You cannot build something on nothing. On a Friday preceding the election day, former Deputy Senate President who stood in for the Chairman, Election Committee, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege addressed all aspirants and party stakeholders in a meeting that lasted till around 11.00pm. He would therefore direct that all aspirants and their representatives meet at Bon Hotel, Ijapo, Akure by 7.00am for distribution of election materials. Alas! From 6.30am on the election day that people had gathered at Bon Hotel as instructed, not a single material was deployed till people dispersed. The Chairman, Election Committee, Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo came into the hotel around 9.00am and went straight into a meeting with his committee members. He came out at about 10.08am to enter his car without addressing people on ground as well as press men waiting for an update. He was however accosted and forced to speak. There and then, he said he was reliably informed that election materials had since been despatched to Ondo North and Ondo South, except for Ondo Central.

4. The time-table of the election showed it was to run from 7.00am – 2.00pm. While, election materials were planned to be distributed by 7.0am, accreditation of voters was programmed to start across the 203 Wards in the State and expected to last from 10.00am – 1.00pm and voting planned to start from 1.00pm – 2.00pm. However, as of 12.15pm, no election materials were deployed as party faithful across Local Government areas were left stranded.

5. There are plethora of video evidences that show what was experienced yesterday was a complete rape on democracy, a total antithesis to progressive ideals that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is known for.

6. Party members were beaten across several local government councils by touts of the incumbent Governor who feared his looming loss. In many places, his recruited touts used guns to scare away party faithful willing to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation.

“The Chief Olusola Oke Campaign Council is therefore, using this medium to reject completely the charade called gubernatorial primaries. We therefore, call on Mr. President, the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullåhi Umar Ganduje and the National Secretariat not to allow this travesty of justice as it will impugn negatively on the successes of our dear Party in the coming November poll. Ondo State is unique in every aspect and it is our sincere hope that those with the instrumentality of office should allow democracy take its place if they are indeed very popular.”