A group under the auspices of the African Union’s Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), has appealed to the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress to annul the party’s primary election in Ekiti over alleged fraud.
Another group, Concerned APC Youth (CAY), has supported the position canvassed by AU-ECOSSOC, describing the process initiated by the Chairman of the primary Committee and Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru as allegedly fraught with irregularities.
Addressing Journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the Nigerian representative of AU- ECOSSOC, Dr. John Asaolu, said it was disappointing that APC, which ought to be a shining light in the African continent could conduct a primary that could aptly be described as a sham.
“We are disappointed that Ekiti State is far behind in politics of this nation. This AU body came to monitor this primary, but the guidelines are not being followed. The AU charters on the conduct of elections not followed. We believe that in any election, there should be respect for human rights and all interested parties should be carried along.
“If the aspirants agreed that the election should be cancelled, the majority must be allowed to carry the day and anything short of that is irregularity. The party must respect their opinions and listen to them. Their rights should not be violated.
“Governor Badaru should rewrite his name and ensure that his integrity is not compromised. The Committee had violated the process by allowing election results to be in the hands of an interested party before others”.
Lambasting APC for betraying the confidence reposed in it, the Convener of Concerned APC Youth, Com Bello Ibraheem, said it was undemocratic for Badaru to allow an aspirant to hijack the process, saying this could destroy the party’s unity.
Ibraheem said a display of anti-democratic tendencies is not in tandem with the dream of the founding fathers of the party.
“How can you expect Governor Kayode Fayemi’s cohorts and loyalists to be conducting party’s primary across the 177 wards? Where is fairness and justice in such a charade primary election aimed at forcefully foisting an aspirant on party members without recourse to democratic ethos, credibility and decency?
“To further worsen the situation, thousands of political thugs were brought into the state by top government functionaries. The primary is characterised by reckless irregularities, Violent attacks on innocent members, unlawful hijack and manipulation by government functionaries.
“We, therefore, call on the national leadership of our party to annul the process of primaries before it leads to another round of embarrassment to the party in the courtroom”.
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