Gov Ododo, who shielded Yahaya Bello against EFCC arrest, heads Ondo APC primaries

*Hails conduct of controversial election

By OUR REPORTER, Akure

Some aspirants complained about the late arrival of materials in some areas, but Ododo said the development did not affect the conduct of the election.

Despite his widely acknowledged obstruction of process of justice shielding his immediate past predecessor against arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, Governor of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, Mr. Usman Ododo, was still allowed by the country’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to go ahead to President over the Ondo State Primary Election of the party on Saturday 20th April 2024.

The attitude has been described by watchers of event, who spoke to The DEFENDER, as show of disrespect by tge party for feelings of Nigerians about the much desired need for administration of justice across board.

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Although virtially ecery contestant in the primary election process very qualified, the headship of the committee charged with the conduct of the poll, which was said to be flooded with “dubious” characters, punctured the collective acceptability of pre-, during and post process of tge state ordinary election hence the controversies that have greeted its outcome.

However, Governor Usman Ododo, the Chairman of the Ondo All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary Election Committee, has hailed the conduct of the exercise disregarding the negative reactions by stakeholders this plunging the state APC into crisis that now requires careful measures to resolve.

The DEFENDER recalls Odod was the APC governorship candidate that was declared winner in concurrent manner the last Kogi State governorship election that was declared inconclusive by the same Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC), thus making the whole exercise smack of impunity unresolvable even by the judiciary, it was gathered.

In the Ondo APC primary exercise he conducted on Saturday, he described it as transparent and lauded stakeholders and members of the party in the state for their “orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state”.

“I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footage and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November 2024 governorship election in the state,” Governor Usman Ododo’s media aide Ismaila Isah quoted him as saying in a statement on Saturday.

Some aspirants complained about the late arrival of materials in some areas, Ododo said the development did not affect the conduct of the election.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW

Governor Ododo commends stakeholders, party members over massive turnout in Ondo Primaries

Kogi State Governor and chairman of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election committee has commended stakeholders and members of the party in Ondo state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.

Governor Ododo gave the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.

According to Governor Ododo:

“I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footages and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”

Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay has no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.

The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.

Ismaila Isah
Special Adviser on Media to the Kogi State Governor