The Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo has justified the need for the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to adopt a direct primary system to select its flagbearer in the forthcoming governorship election.
It should be noted that the party has scheduled its primary in the state for July 20, ahead of the October 10, 2020 gubernatorial election.
The caucus chaired by former Deputy Governor of the state, Alli Olanusi, insisted that since the party has two factions in the state, it would be advisable to use direct primary, noting the effect of indirect primaries on the party in the 2019 governorship elections in Zamfara and Rivers states.
POLITICS NIGERIA reported how litigations crippled the party in 2019 because of the disagreements which delayed the presentation of a flag bearer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This, according to Mr Olanusi must be averted in Ondo state. He made this known at a parley with journalists in Akure, the Ondo state capital, on Tuesday.
The former Deputy Governor said it would be politically and legally wise for the APC national Secretariat to use the direct primary to pick popular and most acceptable candidate among the aspirants on its platform.
He warned that only direct primary could save the party from unwarranted defeat during the October 10, 2020 polls.
Although the factional state chairman of the APC, Idowu Otetubi and his Secretary, Hani Muhammed said they had withdrawn the suit with number: FHC/AK/CS/10/2019.
Otetubi, who had declared support for the incumbent Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said, “as we speak, I have withdrawn unconditionally, my case in court, suit No. FHC/AK/CS/10/2019, challenging the composition of the State Executive Committee of the Party. These decisions are purely informed by my unquenchable desire for the progress of the State and the APC, particularly, the Ondo State Chapter.”
Olanusi however noted that since one of the factions in the state chapter of the party was still challenging the composition of the Ade Adetimehin led executive in the federal high court sitting in Akure.
He added that the case had been adjourned till June 10, 2020.
Olanusi said, “I want to seize this opportunity to state clearly that it is nothing but a blatant lie that the APC here in Ondo State is not a factionalised party and that Ondo State is calling for indirect primaries.
“This position is being propagated by some hired political miscreants with sinister motives to give a wrong impression about the reality on ground here. The gospel truth is that Ondo APC is divided along faction lines.”
He stated that findings have revealed that not less than 80% of the party members and most governorship aspirants in the State prefer the direct primary option to indirect.
“The general belief here in Ondo State is that whoever plans to take cover under the indirect primary option now is not fit to be the candidate of our party at the general election when there will be no hiding place for anyone.
Mr Olanusi then urged NWC to heed to the call for direct primaries.
“From the foregoing, I call on the leadership of our great party and members of the National Working Committee to heed the voice of the majority of our members and give us the direct primary option as anything different would amount to going contrary to the earlier position and pronouncement made by the National Working Committee that primary elections in APC would be conducted using the direct primary option,” He said.
