The next governorship election in Ondo State is barely seven months away, but the internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the April 20 primary election is threatening to tear the party apart.
The election, which produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner, has been marred by allegations of irregularities, with some aspirants rejecting the results and threatening legal action.
The chairman of the election committee, Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, declared Governor Aiyedatiwa the winner after he reportedly polled 48,569 votes in the keenly contested primary election held in the 18 local government areas of the state.
Alleged irregularities
However, many members of the party said they were not allowed to vote because their membership was not revalidated by the national body of the party when it came to revalidate its members in the state for the poll.
The lateness of the electoral materials to the polling centres also formed part of the grievances expressed by notable party members.
Mr. Gbenga Edema, one of the aspirants of the April 20, 2024 election, said the chairman of the election committee did not apply the guidelines the national leadership of the APC designed for the electoral process to go smoothly.
“Anticlimax and mockery of democracy.”
The Ondo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) described the APC primary election as an “anticlimax and mockery of democracy.” The opposition party also said in spite of how the APC hyped its primary, it ended up delivering a “charade.”
Similarly, Folakemi Omogoroye, a female aspirant who complained that elections did not hold in many wards, equally described the primary election as a “complete charade and rape of democracy.”
She threatened to apply legal action if the Kogi State governor-led election committee fails to cancel the election and fix a new date for another poll where all aspirants will be given a level playing ground.
Legal battle
No fewer than six aggrieved aspirants have petitioned the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress over alleged irregularities in the April 20 poll.
Mr. Olusola Oke, who some analysts said had a brighter chance of winning the primary election but came third with 14,865 votes, is also among the aspirants who have petitioned the party and unanimously called for the cancellation of the election.
Ganduje’s failed truce
Last week, the national chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, had a closed-door peace meeting with the aggrieved governorship aspirants and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
But all Ganduje’s efforts to broker peace went down the drain as the aggrieved aspirants insisted that they were not going to withdraw the petition if the election was not cancelled.
Political analysts and observers have said what is happening in the Ondo APC, if it continues into November’s governorship election without genuine reconciliation, could cause the party the highest political office it currently holds in the state.
Solutions
They also urge Governor Aiyedatiwa to meet the aggrieved aspirants and ensure they spread an olive branch before the election.
Many, especially the opposition parties believe the Ondo APC primary election has exposed the deep-seated divisions within the party, and if not addressed, could have far-reaching consequences for the party’s chances in the November governorship election.
Political analysts have warned that APC must take immediate steps to address the grievances of the aggrieved aspirants and ensure a level playing ground for all.
Failure to do so could lead to a political crisis that could engulf the party and jeopardize its chances of retaining the governorship seat.
