Allegations have been made by a group within the All Progressives Congress, the Ondo Vanguard for Good Governance, claiming that party officials are not adhering to the guidelines of the APC ahead of the upcoming primary scheduled for Saturday.
Sixteen aspirants have been given clearance to participate in the Ondo APC governorship primary set for April 20.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Tade Ojo, the coordinator of the group, alleged that the delegate congress, which was supposed to take place on Monday, was not conducted by the party officials sent from the national secretariat as planned.
He stated that the delegate congress should have been held prior to the primary in accordance with the party’s guidelines.
Ojo accused the national officers of disregarding the party’s guidelines in an attempt to manipulate the upcoming primary in favor of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
According to him, all processes leading to a free and fair primary election in Ondo State have allegedly been violated by the APC officials sent from the national level.
He expressed concerns about the undemocratic actions taken and the potential rigging of the primary election.
Refuting the allegations, the Ondo State APC Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, clarified that the delegate congress did take place on Monday but was delayed due to the late arrival of national party officials.
Kalejaiye explained the situation, stating that the process was not canceled and that necessary steps were taken before proceeding with the delegate congress.
Responding to the accusations against the governor, the spokesperson for the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization, Kayode Fasua, suggested that the grievances should be directed to the APC national secretariat rather than targeting the governor.
He emphasized that the party membership card is essential for voting, and any concerns should be addressed to the party leadership for clarification.