The All Progressives Congress candidate for the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State will emerge today (Monday) at a primary election that will be contested by the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and 10 other aspirants.
Ahead of the election, there were intrigues on Sunday as some aspirants engaged in last-minute talks aimed at forming an alliance against Akeredolu.
Besides Akeredolu, other aspirants are Chief Olusola Oke, Dr Segun Abraham, Mr Olaide Adelami, Bukola Adetula, Mrs Jumoke Anifowose, Ambassador Sola Iji, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, Jimi Odimayo, Mr Nathaniel Adojutelegan and Mr Awodeyi Akinsehinwa.
The party had last month disclosed that it would adopt indirect primary to pick its governorship candidate, but 11 aspirants in a memo they jointly signed kicked against it.
The Chairman of the Primary Committee and Kogi State Governor, Mr Yahaya Bello, on Friday turned down the request of the aspirants, saying they could not dictate to the party.
Aspirants in last-minute alliance talks against Akeredolu
It was gathered that there might be last-minute alliance among the aspirants as several meetings were going on among the party leaders and the aspirants to reduce the number of aspirants so that most popular aspirant would get the ticket of the party.
The spokesperson for one of the aspirants, Adelami; Mr Rahaman Yusuf, confirmed that his boss had met with many party leaders.
On Sunday, it was learnt that many of the aspirants, who were active at the initial stage of the preparation for the primary, were said to have lost confidence in getting the desired victory at the primary following the alleged imposition of the indirect primary.
An aide to one of the aspirants, on condition of anonymity, informed one of our correspondents that his boss knew he had lost the primary already, alleging that the national secretariat of the party had concluded plans to give Akeredolu the ticket of the party.
Akerodolu to benefit from indirect primary
Also, there were indications on Sunday that Akeredolu would benefit from the indirect primary.
A top-ranking member of the party who, spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Most incumbent governors prefer the indirect mode because those who emerge as delegates are their loyalists.
“There are those we call automatic delegates and these include party members from the state who are former governors, former deputy governors, former speakers and deputy speakers, serving national and state Assembly members.”
Oke vows to challenge indirect primary
One of governorship aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, who expressed his displeasure over the adoption of indirect primary, however, said he would participate in the primary but would challenge the process.
Aspirants yet to see delegates’ list, says factional chairman
But the APC factional chairman, Mr Henry Olatuja, said the indirect primary adopted by the party was against its constitution.
According to him, the insistence of the APC’s National Caretaker Committee of the party on conducting indirect primary in the state has further caused more crises in the party.
Olatuja said, “We heard the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bell, say the primary in Ondo State will be indirect, meaning it is a delegate election. As I am talking to you now, we have yet to have the list of delegates to use on Monday, even the contestants don’t have it.
However, the state Chairman of the party, Mr Ade Adetimehin, said there was no faction in the party and the was no case in the court .
S’West APC urges aspirants to focus on party’s victory in October
The South-West caucus of the APC on its part appealed to the 12 governorship aspirants to display maturity and harp more on issues that could unite the party, rather than those capable of causing unwarranted division.
The APC South-West Publicity Secretary, Karounwi Oladapo, in a release titled, “Press statement,” urged the aspirants to look beyond the primaries to how the party would win the governorship election proper holding in October.
Oyedele steps down for Akeredolu
Few hours to the primary, an aspirant, Ife Oyedele on Sunday stepped down from the governorship race.
Speaking with journalists at the Government House, Akure, Oyedele, who is the Executive Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria , said he took the decision after the consultation with the national leaders of the party to work with Akeredolu in the forthcoming election.
Meanwhile, less than 24 hours to the primary of party, the venue for the primary has been changed.
Initially, the primary was scheduled to hold in the 18 local government headquarters of the party in the state but it was gathered that the exercise would hold in three centers in Akure.
The party spokesman, Alex Kalejaiye, confirmed the development.
National Assembly vehicles: Contractors petition Buhari, demand N875m, threaten suit
A group of contractors have petitioned the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), urging him to prevail on the National Assembly to pay them for the officials cars bought for lawmakers since 2017.
The contractors, 12 of them, are demanding payment of N875m within seven days with 21 per cent interest, failing which they would sue the leadership of the National Assembly.
The vehicles, which were bought by members of the 8th National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives, included Peugeot 508, 2017 model and Toyota Hilux pick-up vans, among others.
The 8th Assembly was led by Bukola Saraki as the President of the Senate and Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House.
The 9th Assembly is being led by Ahmed Lawan as President of the Senate and Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the House.
While the 8th House procured Peugeot 508 2017 model, the 9th House had ordered 400 units of Toyota Camry 2020 model. The Senate constantly acquires Toyota Sports Utility Vehicles.
The petition, filed by Roland Otaru, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the contractor, was dated July 17, 2020, with Reference Number OO/LIT/LAG/076/07/20, addressed to the President and copied to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House and the National Assembly Service Commission.
It was titled, ‘Re: Refusal of the National Assembly to Pay Our Clients Money Due and Payable to Them in Respect of Contracts Executed for the National Assembly Since 2017.’
The petition read in part, “It is as a result of your zero tolerance for corruption that we, on behalf of our clients, convey to you sir, the refusal of the National Assembly to pay our clients the various contract sums owed our clients despite the supply of various cars and office equipment to the National Assembly by our clients since 2017.
“On the instructions of our clients, we wrote letters of demand to the Clerk of the National Assembly and up till now, there is no any iota of response to our letters of demand.
“Sir, as our President who has zero tolerance for corruption, we have it on good authority that funds have been provided for the National Assembly by your government to pay all outstanding debts owed by the National Assembly, but the principal officers of the National Assembly chose to look the other way and have failed, refused and/or neglected to pay the debts owed our clients despite both oral and written demands.”
When contacted, Director of Public Affairs, at the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, referred our correspondent to the Department of Finance and Accounts.
Also the Director of Information, National Assembly, Rawlings Agada, said, “Anything that has to do with services and concerning purchase by members of the Assembly, go to the Senate or House Committees on Services.”
A top official in the National Assembly management, however, told our correspondent that the parliament has three account heads – Senate account, House account and Management account. The official also stated that the Senate and House Services committees should speak on the matter.
When also contacted, the Chairman of the House Committee on House Service, Mr Wale Raji, said he was not the chairman of the committee, which made procurements in the 8th Assembly.
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