APC Primary Holds Amidst Tight Security

By James Sowole

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo State Governorship Primary Election held in Saturday with the accreditation of delegates at three different venues in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The accreditation took place at Ondo State Development and Property Corporation Multi-purpose Event Hall, Ijapo, for the delegates from Ondo North.

Delegates from the six local government areas that constitute Ondo Central were accredited at the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Arcade, Igbatoro Road while those from Ondo South were accredited at the SB Hultipurpose Hall, Ondo Road also in Akure.

Rather than waiting till the end of the accreditation before voting proper, accredited delegates were moved in special buses from accreditation pointes to the voting centre.

The voting centre is the Ondo State International Event Centre, The Dome, Akure.

Security in and around the venue of accreditation centre and voting centres was very tight involving all the security agencies such as the Nigerian Army, the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence and Directorate of State Services.

Delegates were allowed into the hall on presentation of their delegates card and directed to leave thr hall immediately after casting their votes and submitted their accreditation card.

Though some aspirants announced their withdrawal from the race and endorsed one aspirant or the other, an official of the party said the National Secretariat cannot recognise that.

The official said the National Secretariat had already printed ballot papers with 24 aspirants on eact ballot.

He said the withdrawal and adoption of an aspirant was only done at individual level.

The Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, is the Chairman of the Electoral Committee.

The primary was earlier postponed twice due to internal wrangling and alleged doctoring of the delegates’ list as well as the kidnap of delegates.