Indirect primary: Oyo APC’ll pay dearly if I’m excluded –Minister

The Minister of Communication and one of the aspirants for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Adebayo Shittu has warned that the party in the state will pay dearly if the plot to exclude him from the primary election succeeds.
The Minister faulted the decision of the leadership of the APC to implement the indirect system in the selection of candidates to fly the party’s flag ahead of the general elections, alleging that the plan is geared towards excluding him.
Shittu, currently involved in controversy over his alleged skipping of NYSC, wondered why Oyo state was singled out for the indirect primaries in the whole of the southwest, adding that it will only be fair for the party at the state to tow the direct primary line as the issues surrounding the leadership of the state chapter of APC was still being contested at the courts.
Speaking to journalists at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja after meeting with the party leadership yesterday, Shittu charged the NWC of the party to rescind its decision in the spirit of fair play and in the interest of the party.
He said: “I, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, the leading governorship aspirant of APC in Oyo state reject the recommendation of the NWC of the APC for indirect primary in the state for the following reasons.
“Those to serve as delegates for the proposed of indirect primary constitutes the bulk of those handpicked for the ill-fated congresses conducted in Oyo state where they were selected in a parallel congress.
It should be recalled that the said congresses produced two sets of delegates of which only the supporters of Governor Ajimobi, rather than those of Barrister Shittu were recognized by the former national executive of APC.
This had led to litigation in the court which is yet to be concluded.
In this circumstance, it will only be fair that the party implement direct primary model to allow for fairness and unbiased process, for all candidates from both factions of the party in Oyo state.
“Is it not curious that of all the southwestern states, it is only Oyo that is recommended for indirect model which is deliberately being implemented to exclude Shittu from having a fair opportunity to contest, participate and win in the gubernatorial primary election? If Mr.
President who has a country wide constituency has agreed to submit himself for direct primary, why would Governor Ajimobi’s faction refuse direct primary which allows all aspirants in the party to test their popularity and give party members a fair opportunity of voting for the candidate of their choice?”, he asked

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