Michael Olanrewaju, Osogbo. A group within the ruling Osun State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against Governor Ra...
Michael Olanrewaju, Osogbo.
A group within the ruling Osun State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against Governor Rauf Aregbesola secret meeting with the new National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomole over alleged plans to manipulate the forthcoming July 7 primary election to produce a flag bearer for the party.
The group alleged that Governor Aregbesola’s meeting with the new National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole is centred on attempt to change the primary election to Direct, or, in the alternative collect and alter the delegates lists in the way he wanted to favour his crony. This attempt, they alleged is based on the constitutional lacuna in the last paragraph of Article 20 (iii) of the party constitution.
However, based on the party convention and Constitutional provision, “In Edo, Anambra, Ondo, Ekiti States where elections had been held post 2015 general elections, it has always being by indirect primary, why National Executive Committee (NEC) that has been given power over election would want to change that rules if not for possible manipulation?,” the group asked rhetorically.
According to the group, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party are to make rules/guidelines for the election of the flag bearer of the party in the slated September 22, 2018 Governorship election in accordance with Article 20 (v) of the APC constitution which stipulates as follows that; “Without prejudice to Article 20 (ii) and (iii) of this constitution, the National Working Committee shall subject to the National Executive Committee make Rules and Regulations for the nomination of candidates through primary elections. All such Rule, Regulations and Guidelines shall take into consideration and uphold the principle of Federal Character, gender balance, geo-political spread and rotation of offices, to as much as possible ensure balance within the constituency covered.
This constitutional provision of the party with Federal Character enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1989, amended is supportive of the power rotation/shift to West Senatorial District agitators in the State. They noted that this section is meant to reduce marginalization and increase equity, justice and fairness
They added that experience from the last Local Government election in Osun State where the Governor had to order that the direct primary election exercise should be stopped and consensus used has shown that direct primary would be catastrophic despite the stipulation of the party constitution for election at that level. Even, in the case of about 5 wards out of 332 wards in Osun State where consensus could not be reached in that election, there was breakdown of laws and order. There were exchanges of blows, use of charms and juju within party members. If this has failed woefully in less than 5 wards out of 332, how would the State APC manage the 332 wards where the exercise has to take place the same day, the same time.
Political pundits are afraid that the party might have many difficulty in getting the logistic requirements for a direct primary election. They argued that the party would require police and other security agencies, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials as well as APC National officials to conduct primary elections the same day, the same time in all the 332 wards in Osun State without compromising the integrity of such conduct. How visible is this within the available time?
They added further that such an exercise would definitely make members move from their villages and towns to vote at their wards headquarters in event of primary election. How would they transport themselves to their ward headquarters to exercise their franchise on free volition? It means that those that would be induced who might not necessarily be party members would vote. This is more prone to easy manipulation.
Some argued that direct primary would be too cumbersome and unwieldy for the party. This is because some of the Local Governments are too far to each other.
On alleged plans to tamper with existing delegates list, the group alleged that Mr. Governor wanted to use the excuse of replacing the names of members that have left the party, and, or, those dead to alter the existing list.They argued that it would be in the process that that the alleged manipulation would take place. They averred that an additional 70 wards has been created by the state government which is still unknown to the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria, a regig of this list would see to the inclusion of these council and Councillors on the list.
On the possibility of this, they argued that the process of registering members is at the ward levels where nobody knows everybody and not units where members knows each other. To manipulate the membership list is just to take that kept with the state and fill it up with names.
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