Ondo APC Primary: Election Set for 13 Okitipupa Wards on Sunday, Governor Ododo Announces

Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, who is also the Chairman of the Ondo State Primary Election Committee, announced that polls will be conducted in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State by 12 noon on Sunday (today).

This decision was made after reports of the primary election from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of the state revealed that the exercise did not take place in Okitipupa due to the late arrival of materials and personnel, resulting from logistical challenges.

The election committee aims to ensure that the 9,515 registered members in these wards will have the opportunity to participate in the direct primary election.

Governor Ododo commended the conduct of the primary election, which commenced on Saturday, describing it as transparent and praising the orderly conduct and massive turnout of party members and stakeholders in Ondo State.

However, concerns have been raised by two aspirants and the agents of two other contestants, alleging that the process has been marred by delays in the distribution of materials and a potential bias towards certain aspirants.

They called on the party to investigate the process to ensure a credible election that allows for the free and fair expression of the people’s will.

Olugbenga Edema, one of the 16 aspirants in the race for the APC ticket, criticized the delays in the distribution of materials and called for the postponement of the election if the party is not ready to conduct a fair and transparent process.

Similarly, the agents of other aspirants, including Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olushola Oke, expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency and the alleged absence of election materials in some areas.

The Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation described the exercise as a “sham” and called for a new date to be set and for Governor Ododo to be removed as the leader of the election committee.

As the final collation of the results is expected to take place after the completion of the election in the Okitipupa wards, the outcome of this primary election will determine the candidate who will represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.

The party and its stakeholders will be closely watching the developments in the coming days, as the successful conduct of a transparent and credible primary election is crucial for the unity and strength of the APC in the state.