APC Postpones Ekiti Governorship Primary

All Progressive Congress

As a result of the violence over alleged fraud being perpetrated by one of the leading aspirants, stalemated All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship primary in Ekiti State has been postponed indefinitely.

Report has it that before the decision was taken, there was a serious violence at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, venue of the exercise, as agents of some strong contenders accused some security agencies of allegedly compromising the process in favour of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, who was the chairman of the Party Primary, narrowly escaped the violence as he hurriedly entered his vehicle and left the venue after an emergency meeting with all the 33 aspirants, failed to yield result.

One of the Aspirants, former Speaker, Mr.Femi Bamisile who confirmed the the adjournment of the primaries, said it was a unanimous verdict at the meeting that the process should be suspended indefinitely.

He faulted the insinuation that the Violence erupted because Fayemi was leading in about five of the Local Goverment in the state.

“There was an issue somewhere about the exercise and they raised observation about sharp practices that had compromised the process which led to protest and the feeling was that the process should be suspended to avoid bloodshed

“I don’t believe that is correct. The results have not been counted , so that was an assumption .

“Ekiti APC is not in any way fractured, we are one big family. If Fayemi defeats us, we are all going to back him, because the party is supreme. But this must come through a free, fair and credible process”, he said.

Naija News gathered that trouble erupted at about 5.30pm when some agents aired their displeasure as to how the process was being allegedly compromised , accusing the men of the Department of State Services(DSS) of dictating to delegates who they should vote for.

Police and other security agencies shot sporadically into the air when the situation was escalating into a full scale war among the camps.

Protesters, who were obviously agents of other aspirants accused Fayemi’s agent  Mr. Samuel Abejide of dictating to delegates who to vote for and also writing the serial numbers of their ballot papers to authenticate who they actually voted for, probably for pecuniary gains after the poll.

Chief Ranti Adebisi, the Director General of Babafemi Ojudu Campaign Organisation, alleged that the process had been heavily compromised

“The guideline stipulated that each aspirant can only bring in four supporters, but Fayemi brought many. His agents, including DSS were issuing cards to delegates to fill when they vote for him , so that they can later come for the money he promised them

“I contested against Fayemi in 2007 and I knew what I am talking about. The process has been compromised. Even, Fayemi has been bragging around that he is a friend to Alhaji Tanko Al –Makura, so we are disappointed that this could happen”, he said.

Fayemi’s agent, while reacting to the protest stated that the protest and subsequent violence was gang up against the Minister that led to the spurious allegation, accusing those peddling rumour as enemies of APC.

It was a proviso that if you are a delegate who can’t read and write, you can call any of the agents. When they saw that I was the one being called, they started feeling the heat and they were determined to disrupt it”, he said (NAN)