Ondo Primaries: Protests persist in APC, PDP

A factional group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akoko Division and leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Odigbo/ Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo federal constituency are aggrieved over the outcome of the primaries conducted by the two major parties.

They alleged that the exercise was fraught with irregularities that called for outright cancellation, stressing that its members were schemed out of the affairs of the party in the state.

At a rally in Ikare-Akoko led by one of the aspirants, Sunday Fagbemi,the group noted that only popular candidates could win elections in the area.

It described the recent primary election in the state as an hoax, stressing that no election was done to warrant the emergence of any candidate.

Also, the PDP leaders in Odigbo/IleOluji/Oke-Igbo petitioned the National Chairman, Uche Secondus over the emergence of Tomi Akinfemiwa as its candidate.

According to them,there was no election on October 3, to warrant the declaration of anybody as candidate.

They said out of 21 wards under the federal constituency, Osogbo has 11 wards; Ologbo has four wards and IleOluji with six wards.

The aggrieved PDP members wondered how Ile-Oluji with six wards out of 21 purportedly conducted primary election that produced Akinfemiwa as winner without the involvement of other 15 wards.

It noted that it would not be possible for two local government areas to produce both Senatorial and Representatives candidates from the same party, calling for outright cancellation of the purported primary.

In the APC, the group loyal to the runner up in the 2016 APC governorship primary Olusegun Abraham lamented that its members were marginalised by the leadership of the ruling party in the state.

Fagbemi,who is an aspirant said ” no matter the victimisation, we will not compromise our stand in supporting Abraham because of his good plans for Akoko and the state as a whole.

“Even outside government, he has been promoting education and welfare of people in several communities in Akoko Division especially Akoko Northeast.

He said even though he was prevented from clinching the party’s ticket, Fagbemi said he would remain in the APC as its loyal supporter.

APC’s spokesman, Alex kalejaye insisted that the primary held in the area was peaceful and devoid of irregularities.

He said some faceless groups within the party were out to destabilise its affairs ahead of 2019 for their selfish interests.

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