Six of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives aspirants for Ibadan North-West/South-West constituency area of Oyo state on Tuesday demanded a new date for their primary election.
Speaking with journalists at Lafia Hotel in Ibadan, the six aspirants, Chief Rotimi Ajanaku, Mrs Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo, Mogaji Samuel Ajadi, Mr Biodun Ikumoguniyi, Mr Temitope Oyewale and Mr Mutair Fasola, raised alarm on alleged plans to use fake delegates lists for the primary election.
The APC aspirants in a petition read by Mr Temitope Oyewole, Oyewale, declared that they had unanimously agreed to suspend the primaries as a result of the alleged fake delegates list and that they have earlier been informed that an authentic delegates list would bear the stamp of APC, INEC and presented with the party’s letter head paper.
“When we got to the hall to meet the electoral committee, we requested for the list and what we got were mutilated sheets with cancelled names, and handwritten names on it. We were told that the list was given to the committee by the two local government party chairmen. The INEC stamp was not on the list presented,” he said.
Mr Oyewale maintained that the six aspirants were surprised to hear that one of them, Saheed Fijabi had declared himself the winner of a primary which never took place.
A leading aspirant in the planned primary election, Chief Rotimi Ajanaku while speaking at the press conference disclosed that the six aspirants have submitted their demands to the committee and expected positive response from them.
Chief Ajanaku stressed, “we have submitted our demand to the committee that they should give us a date as soon as possible to conduct the election”.
The APC leading aspirant pointed out that “if this is not given as demanded, we will challenge the matter in court,”
Mogaji Samuel Ajadi on his part noted that the aspirants were demanding from the committee a new date for the conduct of the election, adding “What we are asking for right now is for them to give us a date when the primary election will be conducted as soon as possible,”
Other three aspirants in the Ibadan North West/Ibadan South West federal constituency, Hon Oshinowo, Mr Ikumoguniyi and Fasola expressed confidence that APC would not shortchange them or allow anyone perpetuate illegalities.
