Protest greets All Progressives Congress, APC’s, local government primary elections in parts of Osun state as the party prepares for council poll next month.
Party leaders, aspirants and stakeholders have pleaded with Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the Party Chairman, Gboyega Famodun to intervene in the crisis with a view to saving the party of embarrassment.
The exercise was marred with protest in Osogbo South Local Council Development Area, Ede- South, Ife-Central and Ife-East, Olorunda, Orolu, Ifelodun local governments areas of the state.
According to the 12 of 15 party leaders in Osogbo-South LCDA, led Alhaji Moshood Baruwa, the leaders, in line with party constitution, have agreed to zone the Chairmanship slot to Ward 8 where Mahruf Ibrahim came from and the Vice-Chairmanship to ward 2 since other wards have produced council chairmen before now.
The primary committee lied using our names to adopt a particular candidate against our choice without allowing them to proceed to primary election. We urged Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and party chairman to intervene with a view to reviving the party in the local government.
However, in a quick reaction, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, who is also a leader in the council area, Lekan Badmus said Primary was held across the wards and candidates emerged.
“With regards to chairmanship slot, the party’s position is that where there is a woman contesting, she should be given priority, which is the case in our local council, Osogbo- South”, he said.
Also, in Olorunda local government, no primary was held in any of the wards collation centres, but that of the Chairman was said to be held behind closed doors inside the local government secretariat at Igbonna.
Similarly, in Ife-Central, and Ife-East, where no woman was contesting the Chairmanship office, primary was not held but the election committee reportedly returned the incumbent caretaker chairmen as elected. Adedoyin Taiwo, one of the aspirant for Ife-West Central LCDA said, “So far, there is no Primary election in Ife Central West LCDA.There are 4 (four ) contestants vying for the post of the LCDA Chairman and on no account did any of them step down for either the incumbent or any of the candidates, neither there was a time the Elders in the party called for a meeting to reach a consensus among the four contestants”.
Also in Orolu, ward 4 councillorship primary could not hold as a candidate was imposed which was resisted by the party leaders in the ward.