THE Osun Progressives (TOP), a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to the the Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, has called for the cancellation of the just concluded primary elections in the state.

The called was made by no fewer than 12 aspirants for National Assembly and House of Assembly seats on Monday.

Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, Waseeu Adebayo described the primaries which held across the state as a sham, noting that the exercises were marred by confusion and manipulation.

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He noted that the electoral committee that conducted elections for various elective posts was not known to members of the TOP faction.

Adebayo said, “The committee saddled with the responsibility of conducting the election was not known to anybody. We considered that as a deliberate way of tactically excluding us from the race.

“May we note that with the high level of impunity and manipulation involved in the process and shenanigans engaged to get rid of us, the joke has now turned on Governor Oyetola’s group, as all its aspirants in various constituencies are laying claims to victory and confirming it with concocted figures aimed to support their fraudulent act.

“It is unheard of, even a shameful experience, that four days after the primaries have been held, the governor and his collaborators in the party are unable to declare winners in the contests.”

The group also alleged that the outcome of the polls were being altered at the state government house in favour of the governor’s loyalists.

Adebayo asked the national leadership of the party to cancel the exercise and conduct fresh ones to elect the party’s candidates for the 2023 elections.

“The information at our disposal is that all the result sheets are currently in the custody of Oyetola and they are being filled with the names of his cronies who never won the primary election.

“We call on the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to correct the impunity and rape of democracy being displayed before it is too late.

“We also demand the cancellation of the primaries while fresh elections should be conducted.”

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Vincent Ufuoma

Reporter at International Centre for Investigative Reporting | Author Page

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