Ekiti APC Governorship Primaries: Aspirants Insist Poll Must Be Credible

Ahead of the Ekiti State governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to conduct primaries for its aspirants to select its flagbearer for the July 14 poll.

While the primary election takes place on Saturday, May 5, those who have indicated their interest to contest the election have insisted that only a free and credible process would be acceptable.

Some of the aspirants who spoke to Channels Television on Friday noted that they would take the party leadership by its words that no aspirant would be favoured above another.

The immediate past governor of the state and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, advised the APC to be wary of candidates who are bent on quitting or destabilising the party, whether or not the primary is free and fair.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparusi, and another aspirant Dr Makanjuola Owolabi were of the opinion that the party’s candidate must, in the spirit of equity, come from Ekiti South Senatorial District, which has not produced a governor since the creation of the state.

Meanwhile, the APC Chairman in the state, Jide Awe, also highlighted some of the steps being taken by the party to ensure a free and fair process.

He noted the APC is not disposed to any zoning arrangement by the members and called on all aspirants to work in harmony and strategise to produce the best flagbearer.

On his part, the outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdullahi Chafe, spoke about the security measures in place.

Although Mr Chafe retires on Saturday, he promised to be part of the exercise as a sideline contributor to ensure security lapses are not recorded before, during and after the primaries.

In the meantime, a five-man national team of the APC headed by the Nasarawa State Governor, Mr Tanko Al-Makura has arrived in the state to conduct the exercise.

Similarly, another three-man team from the party’s leadership is already on the ground to address the issues that might be raised after the primaries.

Thirty-three aspirants have been screened to contest the primary among whom are former governors Kayode Fayemi and Segun Oni, as well as three former members of the National Assembly – Bamidele Faparusi, Bimbo Daramola, and Babafemi Ojudu.

Others are former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Femi Bamisile, son of former governor of the defunct Ondo State, Muyiwa Olumilua, and three female aspirants who were given the expression of interest and nomination forms for free, among others.