10 months ago
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Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi
Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has commended the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress for rescheduling the controversial February 17 governorship primary in Edo State that saw three winners emerge.
Fayemi gave the commendation in a statement on Wednesday signed by the head of his media office, Ahmad Sajoh.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the primary, Governor Hope Uzodimma, had announced Dennis Idahosa as the winner, while returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, declared Monday Okpebholo as the winner.
Elsewhere, Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to be representing the returning officers in all the local governments, declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner of the election.
Following the confusion that ensued, both Dekeri and Okpebholo had written the appeal committee of the party to demand their certificates of return.
The controversy surrounding the poll forced the party’s NWC on Tuesday to declare the process inconclusive.
Fayemi noted that the decision of NWC had restored the confidence of members of the party in state and showed the party is interested in producing a popular candidate.
The former Nigeria Governors Forum chairman also applauded the Leader of the Party, President Bola Tinubu for not interfering and allowing due process on the issue.
“I wish to thank the President for allowing the party to function independently on this sensitive issue and thus assure our teeming members in Edo State that the process for the gubernatorial primaries will be free, fair, and transparent,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Fayemi condemned the role allegedly played by Senator Adams Oshiomhole in the exercise.
“Ideally, as a leader, he should have ensured a level playing field for all the aspirants but he was trying to impose a candidate in a manner that’s not free and fair.
‘’Earlier, Oshiomhole had attempted to eliminate some aspirants from contesting in the primaries and failed,” he claimed.
Fayemi expressed the hope that the fresh primaries will now take place in an atmosphere deemed free and fair by all, for the sake of the party.
‘’Oshiomhole may decide to support any of the aspirants if he chooses not to be neutral but the process must be open, free, and transparent, following the laid down rules. My interest is the APC and the party must put its best foot forward in the forthcoming elections,’’ he added.
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