By Rabiu Sanusi
A gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has asserted that the governorship primary of the party held last Saturday was void, contending that the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, was legally restrained.
Oke stated that Ganduje was prohibited from executing the duties of the APC national chairman during the period crucial to the conduct of the primary election.
Despite securing the third position in the primary with 14,453 votes, Oke lodged a petition before the appeal panel through his legal representatives, highlighting the irregularities surrounding the primary election.
He argued that the primary was invalid as it was orchestrated, overseen, and managed by Ganduje in defiance of a valid and binding order from the Kano State High Court.
Oke emphasized that the election did not adhere to the stipulations of the law, the APC Constitution, and the Nomination Guidelines.
He pointed out the absence of an authenticated membership register and the failure to deploy electoral personnel to the designated venues at the ward and local government levels.
Furthermore, Oke raised concerns about the alleged lack of a legitimate election process, with results purportedly generated and allocated by returning officers housed in a hotel in Akure.
He contended that the declared results did not stem from any genuine electoral exercise.
In conclusion, Oke urged the committee to nullify the APC primary election in Ondo State conducted between the 20th and 22nd of April 2024 due to its flawed nature, being carried out in defiance of a court order, and failing to comply with relevant legal provisions, the APC Constitution, and guidelines.
He called for a fresh primary election to be conducted in accordance with the appropriate laws and guidelines, emphasizing that no valid outcome can arise from an invalid primary election.
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