Ekiti primary: APC committee submits report, urge aggrieved aspirants to support Oyebanji

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) committee on Ekiti governorship primary and Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, yesterday submitted the report of the Ekiti State governorship primary election to the party’s national leadership.

The seven-member APC committee which conducted the direct primary election on Thursday called on aggrieved aspirants to support the party and the candidate to win the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State

The APC director of Organisation, Prof Ussiju Medaner, received the report on behalf of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) at the Party’s National Secretariat, Abuja.

Speaking to journalists on the outcome of the primary election, Governor Badaru said: “We have submitted the results sheets and reports where elections were conducted – 166 wards. 11 wards were disrupted and we cancelled those areas. But in 166 wards, people actively participated. And I think you all have the videos of what transpired in all the 166 wards except the 11 wards.

“The committee landed on the 26th. I had meetings with all the aspirants and 7 attended out of 8. And we discussed the guidelines and we agreed on all the terms.”

Calling on aggrieved aspirants to support the party and the candidate win the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State, Badaru said, “They (aspirants) are party members. What we expect them to do is to join hands with us so that we can continue to build the party and we continue to support the candidate that emerges.

“At the opening of my engagement with the aspirants, at the stakeholders meeting that we held in Ekiti State, I told them that power comes from God. And it is only God that will determine who will win.”

Biodun Oyebanji, a former secretary to the state government (SSG), was declared winner of APC governorship primary election in Ekiti state.

He defeated other aspirants to emerge winner of the primary election.

He polled 101,703 votes, while his closest challengers, Ojo Kayode had 767, Opeyemi Bamidele had 760 and Dayo Adeyeye polled 691 votes.

Seven governorship aspirants, including Bamidele, had earlier protested against the election, saying it would not be fair.

But Bamidele, the Senator representing Ekiti central, asked the APC to cancel the primary election on grounds that those on the primary election committee are aides of Fayemi, who are working to ensure that Oyebanji gets the party’s ticket.