Appeal panel: We’ve received three petitions over Ondo APC guber primary

The appeal committee set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to entertain petitions from the party’s governorship primary election in Ondo state says it has received three complaints.

Despite allegations of irregularities, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, was declared the winner of the poll by the Usman Ododo-led committee that supervised the exercise.

Aiyedatiwa defeated 15 opponents, including Jimoh Ibrahim, a serving senator, to clinch the party’s ticket.

The governorship election in Ondo has been fixed to hold on November 16.

Addressing a press conference in Akure, capital city of Ondo, on Monday, Mohammed Abubakar, a former governor of Bauchi and chairman of the panel, said his committee is ready to work on the appeals.

“So far, we have received three petitions; one from Olugbenga Edema, Omoba Jimmy Odimayo and the last one from Adewale Akinterinwa after the conclusion of the primary and declaration of the candidate of the party,” Abubakar said.

“The situation I met on the ground was an inconclusive election that needed to be repeated in one local government.

“They were able to repeat the election in that local government and by early this morning, they were able to declare the results of the primary.

“It is traditional in APC to set up a committee like this in order to follow up on the fallout of the primary election.

“It’s as a result of this that I invited the gentlemen of the press to be here today so that I can announce to them, the presence of this committee and the readiness of this committee to receive whatever complaints as a fallout from the primary election.”

The former governor said the committee would be fair and anyone who is yet to file a complaint should do so.