12 Aspirants For Osun West Senatorial District Rejects Direct Primary For APC Guber poll In Osun
No fewer than nine gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress were present at a press conference where the Osun West senatorial district of the party rejected direct primary election to determine the party’s candidate for the September 22nd governorship election in Osun State.
Among the aspirants at the conference were, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Dr. Peter Babalola, Alhaji Saka Layoonu, Hon. Gafar Amere, Hon. Najeem Salami, Engr. Mumini Olabanji, Mr Dayo Oyebanji while party stalwarts included Hon. Patricia Etteh, Senator Mudasiru Hussein, Barr. Gbadegesin Adedeji, Alhaji Gbadebo Ajao, Hon Ayo Omidiran Alhaji Sule Alao, commissioners, Special Advisers, local government chairmen and sympathizers from other senatorial district.
The National Chairman of the party had on Monday announced the adoption of Direct party primary for the emergence of the party’s flag bearer slated for 19th Thursday 19th July saying it would facilitate the participation of all party members in the decision of who becomes the party’s candidate.
Addressing newsmen at the party secretariat in Iwo, the Osun West senatorial chairman, Hon. Amobi Akintola called on the National Working Committee of the party to revert the proclamation of direct party primaries for the conduct of the election without delay to avoid devastating effect for the party.
The District according to Akintola, demanded for the usage of delegates system for picking the party’s flag bearer not for selfish interest adding that it is aimed at ensuring the representation of teaming and committed members of the party in the choice of their candidate.
Akintola posited that delegates primary should be used because of the fact that there is no verifiable data base of APC members from units level, nor at electoral ward or
state level adding that there is no ascertained APC party members/Strength in Osun State.
According to him, the party membership registration has never been updated since 2014 saying that the adoption of open primaries will lead to chaos of an unimaginable magnitude which would definitely weaken the party strength, resolution of which might not be achieved until 2019 general election.
The senatorial chairman said all the 12 aspirants that came from Osun West out of the total number of 17 aspirants from the entire state had met and resolved on the adoption of delegates primaries to elect who emerges as the party candidate for the election.
While supporting the action of 11 state working committee that announced the suspension in office of the party chairman and secretary for the state, Akintola said since they were not part of the signatories to the purported letter requesting for direct primary for the conduct of the election, there is obvious attempt at imposing a candidate on members of the party.
