The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has discredited an online report which quoted some electoral officials as denouncing its April 20 governorship primary election in Ondo state.
According to the ruling party, the primary election was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and all extant laws, reaffirming the candidacy of Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa as its flag bearer in the November 16 Ondo State Governorship Election.
The online report had said some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the local governments had in their separate reports to the INEC headquarters said the primary election did not take place.
However, Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the party, Nze Chidi Duru insisted that the party conducted a credible exercise.
He said; “We conducted a free and fair election in Ondo state and a candidate emerged from the election. We, APC, have an eligible candidate for the November election in Ondo state.
“The party followed due process. The primary election committee conducted the election and presented its report to the National Working Committee NWC.
“We (NWC) also received report from the Election Appeal Committee. This committee received some petitions, considered them and ruled that the election was conducted in line with the guidelines for the election and that it was a free and fair exercise.
“The NWC then deliberated on the reports of the two committees and adopted them.
“The committee that conducted the election in its report said it was a free and fair exercise. This was expressly indicated in its report
“We don’t act on social media reports. We have not received any report from INEC. The electoral body should have raised a query on the election to the committee and also to the appeal committee. We have no such report from INEC.
“It was on the strength of the reports of the two committees that NWC adopted the outcome of the election and issued a Certificate of Return to our candidate, who is Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa.
“We have a candidate who will fly the party’s flag in the November 16 Ondo State Governorship Election,” Duru declared.
As at the time of filing this report, INEC had not officially reacted to the claim over the alleged irregularities. The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi was yet to respond to the rounds of controversies requesting for more time to get in touch with the relevant departments.
