‘Daylight robbery’ — Ondo APC guber hopefuls reject primary poll

Some governorship aspirants of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state have rejected the primary election supervised by Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi.

The APC in Ondo on Saturday conducted its primary election in the 203 wards in the state ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial poll.

However, speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital, Gbenga Edema, one of the aspirants, called for the postponement of the election until “things were put in place”.

Edema expressed displeasure over the delay in the release of electoral materials.

He noted that it was contrary to the agreement reached during the stakeholders’ meeting on Friday.

“As I’m speaking to you at past 10 a.m., no electoral materials have been distributed,” he said.

“He told us that the accreditation would start between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and that voting would commence by 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

“But what we are hearing now is that the election has been concluded and the result announced.

“We asked the chairman, but he had no answer to our questions.

“We are not people that could be manipulated by godfathers. So, we are asking our national leadership that if they are not ready, they should postpone it until the right thing is done.”

Also speaking, Sola Ajisafe, who represented Wale Akinterinwa, another aspirant, said there was no election held in the state.

He called for the rescheduling of the election, noting that Ododo’s failure to follow due process was an “anti-democratic process”.

“My people have been calling me that no single material has been distributed in their wards,” Ajisafe said.

“What is playing out here is a connivance and agreement by governor Ododo to short-change the people of the state and reduce our capacity to choose our leader.

“We are saying that they should reschedule another election because this election did not even hold.

“This is another form of failure. Ododo has not performed his responsibility concerning this election. This is an anti-democratic process.”

Rotimi Ogunleye, who spoke on behalf of Olusola Oke, an aspirant, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the exercise.

“ I want to inform President Bola Tinubu, because he is our leader, that the men sent to conduct this election are not following the guidelines,” Ogunleye said.

Paul Oniyemofe, who represented Dayo Faduyile, another aspirant, described the election as a “day light robbery”, and asked for a reschedule of the poll.

Reacting, Ododo said electoral materials had been distributed to Ondo north and south senatorial districts.

He added that materials had also been delivered at Ondo central, promising to address all grievances.