Stalemate In Lagos APC As Tinubu, Ambode Camps Trade Tackles Over Invalidated Primary

Stalemate In Lagos APC As Tinubu, Ambode Camps Trade Tackles Over Invalidated Primary

Amid controversy trailing the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries invalidated by the National Working Committee (NWC) on Tuesday, the camps of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode have gone for each other’s jugular over the mode of voting to be used for the primary snowballing into stalemate.

While members of the Tinubu Camp alleged that members of the National Committee have been compromised to discredit the direct primary election held in the state, the Ambode camp insisted that ballot papers and boxes should be used for the primary to protect the primary.

As of the time of filling this report the state secretariat of the party had commenced the collation of results from the primary election held in the state, saying they will not accept any election conducted through use of ballot papers and boxes.

The Ambode Mandate Support Group in a statement obtained by journalists said Governor Ambode never conceded defeat to Babajide Sanwo-Olu widely believed to have won the primary election by wide margin.

They said, ‘’There are guidelines and procedures which the National Working Committee (NWC) has insisted must be followed in conducting a credible poll.

‘’These include the usage of membership slips and membership cards by registered party members as well as the adoption of secret ballot system which protects the electorate.

‘’ The NWC came from Abuja with sufficient ballot papers which are yet to be distributed. As a loyal and responsible party member and a democrat, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is guided by the process announced by the party and shall await the new date of the governorship primary election.

‘’We urge all party members and our teeming supporters to remain calm and peaceful and to refuse to be intimidated. Governor Ambode is still very much in the race and is poised to win in order to continue the good works he has been doing in the last three and half years.’’

The national leader of the party Bola Tinubu, who spoke with journalists in Ikeja, said the best way to prove that one is democratic is to embrace direct primary , saying no one will be able to buy the number of people involved in the process.

He insisted that the position of the party is that Ambode had deviated from the template of governance in the state, hence the party has resolved to change him.

Curiously, Dr. Idiat Adebule, Ambode deputy who voted against her boss said she has to go with the decision of the party, hence her decision to vote for Sanwo-Olu.

For Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu the turnout exhumed confidence he would win the primary if the National Working Committee had not invalidated the process.

“So far, you can see that the process has been peaceful. Although, you may say it is a bit rowdy, but it is about people’s enthusiasm and this is Lagos Island, my family house is about three or four buildings away from here.

“When we insisted on having direct primary, this is what we envisaged. To let people have their say in the voting process and so far everything has been orderly. I can say as it is here, so it would be across the entire 245 wards in the state. We are confident of victory,” Sanwo-Olu said.