THE camp of the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, was in disarray, following the decision of the National Working Committee to returned and cleared the three incumbents in the senatorial districts of the State.
The three lawmakers cleared and returned by the NWC of the APC included, Senator Ajayi Boroffice for the North, Senator Tayo Alasoadura for the Central and Senator Yele Omogunwa for the Southern senatorial districts.
All other aspirants jostling for the ticket of the various senatorial districts were disqualified by the screening committee of the party.
However, the development came after the party postponement of the primary election for the Senate earlier scheduled to hold on Tuesday
This has created further confusion in the party as party chieftains and members took the news with surprise and uncertainty over what happens in the other scheduled primaries.
Party members from the North and South senatorial districts had earlier protested against the alleged imposition of candidates in the primaries which was scheduled to hold yesterday, calling on the State Governor not to embark on such moves
The protesters from the southern senatorial districts vowed to resist the Governor from imposing Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa on the people over Chief Morayo Lebi.
The protesters said “We are disappointed with this idea of imposition and we are totally against this imposition and the people of the South senatorial district are rejecting this imposition of any candidate.
“The Governor is destroying our party in Ondo State and we need to be careful in order not to lose to the opposition during the next general election.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of APC in the State, Hon. Ade Adetimehin, described the disqualification of other aspirants from the race by the Screening Committee as undemocratic but call for a level playing ground for all the aspirants.
He frowned over the decision of the Screening Committee saying “the NWC cannot do that, they believe in democracy and whoever believes in direct primary they should give fair hearing to other people to contest that is the essence of giving us direct primary now why are they giving us indirect primary again.
Initially, we ask for indirect primary but because we want people to participate in the choosing of their candidate, we opted for direct primary so that everybody will go to the field to contest, that is the only way to get true democracy and to get the best candidate.
“They should allow people to exercise their right, you should not deny people their right, it is their right to contest primary, why are they disqualified? Are they afraid of direct primary again when they asked for it. It is their right to contest the primary.”
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