THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State is set for a significant showdown today, April 20, as 16 aspirants, including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, Olusola Oke, compete for the party’s governorship ticket.
On Saturday, April 13, the party cleared the 16 aspirants seeking their ticket to contest the November 20 Ondo State Governorship election.
The ICIR reports that the seven-man screening committee, led by a senator Joshua Lidani, gave all the aspirants the nod to contest the April 20 primary election.
They are Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; the Senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olusola Oke; former President of Nigerian Medical Association, a professor. Francis Faduyile; a doctor Funmi Waheed-Adekojo and the APC National Vice Chairman (South-West), Isaacs Kekemeke.
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Others are Soji Ehinlanwo, Akinfolarin Samuel, Okunjimi Odimayo, Adewale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema, Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan, and Ifeoluwa Oyedele.
Following the clearance, the ruling party announced that 171, 922 members drawn from the 203 wards of the 18 local government areas of the state will take part in the primary election.
The party’s National Organising Secretary, Muhammad Argungu, disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had sent the party the Certified True Copy of the 173,181 membership register, and the party’s revalidation brought the number down to 171,922.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State is slated to chair a seven-member committee tasked with overseeing the electoral process, while the former Bauchi Governor Mohammed Abubakar is expected to lead the five-member Primary Election Appeal Committee.
As stated by the Organising Secretary, the duo will play a crucial role in maintaining fairness, transparency, and inclusivity throughout the process.
According to reports, Aiyedatiwa and Jimoh Ibrahim ace the contest due to the power of incumbency, and the latter banking on his relationship with President Bola Tinubu and two former senators from the state.
The ICIR reported that Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as Ondo State governor on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, following the death of his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who passed away in the early hours of the same day after a prolonged illness.
Since then, he has garnered support from numerous party members and stakeholders despite Gbenga Edema, one of the aspirants, alleging certificate forgery against Aiyedatiwa.
The vetting committee headed by Abdulkarim Kana, a professor, dismissed the petition, noting that Aiyedatiwa presented a genuine academic certificate to the party.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M