…canvass open, credible senatorial primary
Frontline All Progressives Congress Senatorial aspirants in Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Biodun Olujimi and Hon Bamidele Faparusi, have expressed disappointment over alleged shoddy conduct of the House of Representatives primary across the state on Saturday.
The APC aspirants bemoaned how the direct primary was grossly vitiated by brazen antidemocratic conducts, like absence of proper voter accreditation, intimidation of voters, coercion of party officials to support preferred aspirants, lack of official result sheets at ward level, and exclusion of aspirants’ agents from collation centres.
These worries were contained in a statement jointly signed by the two high profile aspirants and released to journalists in Ode Ekiti on Saturday.
To rectify the perceived infractions in the senatorial contest slated for Monday, May 18, they called for urgent interface with the National Working Committee Election Committee on how the rough edges could be straightened to reinforce the credibility of the shadow poll.
They also canvassed immediate release of ward result sheets for proper verification as well as open and transparent collation centres accessible to all aspirants and their agents.
The Frontline contenders also called for strong assurances of a credible and transparent senatorial primary from the party to avert any action that could create a cleavage in the party fold.
“We, Senator Biodun Olujimi and Hon. Engr. Bamidele Faparusi, express our disappointment over the conduct of the APC House of Representatives primary election held across Ekiti South.
‘These developments undermine the credibility and transparency of the process and fall short of democratic standards expected within our great party, the All Progressives Congress.
“We call for an urgent stakeholders’ meeting with the NWC Election Committee, immediate release of ward result sheets for proper verification, open and transparent collation centres accessible to all aspirants and their agents, and srong assurances of a credible and transparent senatorial primary election.
“We remain committed to the unity, progress, and democratic ideals of the APC”.