By: Ade Phillips

Uncertainty hangs in the balance as there are strong indications that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may postpone its governorship primary slated for April 20, 2024 in Ondo State.

Starnews NG reports that the much anticipated gubernatorial primary election had raised dust in the party with the aspirants numbering 16, jostling for the ticket.

Apart from the political brouhaha in the state ladened with petitions, allegations and counter allegations, and political impropriety, the leadership of the party at the national level is also facing fresh crisis which may likely engender the postponement of the primary election.

Recall that the National Chairman of the party, Alh. Umaru Ganduje was suspended and Starnews NG had earlier reported the possibility of a legal action that might follow the suspension.

Validating the report of Starnews NG, a competent court of law affirmed the suspension, a development that portends that the party may likely postpone the election in the Sunshine State.

Howbeit, the party had consistently come to rubbish the purported suspension. Yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Channels TV’s Politics Today monitored by our Reporter, noted that the party’s leadership completely held the suspension with a pinch of salt.

But findings showed that the ruling party is no more taking the suspension saga lightly, as it is currently grappling with it; the gubernatorial Aspirants in Ondo State are grousing about the alleged manipulations of the entire process of the election slated for Saturday.

These conundrums may force the party to postpone the election so as to avoid post election crisis that may give the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) an edge.

To give credence to the looming postponement, some Aspirants of the APC in Ondo State have written to the party, asserting the possibility of some encumbrances in the election.

The letter was signed by: Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Olusola Oke, Wale Akinterinwa, Diran Iyantan, Prof. Dayo Faduyile, Hon. Gbenga Edema and Hon. Jimi Odimayo.

The letter reads, “We, the undersigned, are aspirants from the South senatorial district of Ondo State, who have collected forms to participate in the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial primary election slated for the 20th April, 2024.

“We have noticed some issues of concern in respect of the said primary election which if not resolved quickly, may hinder the smooth running of the primary and may be detrimental to a free, fair, credible and acceptable election.

“One of the issues is that of the revalidation of the membership register to be used for the primary election.

“While we commend the position of the party to revalidate the existing membership register which is the certified true copies, as certified by INEC, and based on this directive of the party, as aspirants, we have paid over N300m to the coffers of the party to cover the annual dues of all party members whose names appear on the register, unfortunately, the exercise was shrouded in so much of secrecy that a lot of our party members especially our numerous supporters could not have their membership cards revalidated before the committee that came from the Headquarters left Ondo State for Abuja.

“We have been inundated by reports that a particular aspirant has gone ahead with massive printing of fake party slips, which he has distributed to a lot of persons who are not even our party members.

“The intention of this aspirant is to corrupt the integrity of the membership register on the day of the primary by making accreditation of party members impossible as non-party members have already been recruited to flood the venues of the primary election that day.

“This massive and pervasive production of the membership cards will certainly precipitate a situation where everyone holding membership cards, notwithstanding that their names are not on the register, will be allowed to vote without accreditation. Voting without accreditation remains illegal and unacceptable.

“Mr. Chairman should note that Section 77(2) (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, makes it mandatory for all political parties to have a credible membership register which must be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and certified by it, not later than 30 days before the Congress.

“To avoid any Legal or Constitutional conundrum, we advise that the party makes accreditation of party members mandatory at the election venue, and that every member of the party whose name appears on the membership register already certified by INEC should be allowed to vote once he/she is able to present his/her membership slip for accreditation.

“It is our prayer therefore that the leadership of the party make available to us the membership register already validly certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as the only lawful register to be used by the party for the conduct of the primary election slated for 20/04/2024. No other register can lawfully be used for the said election.