Ondo APC Primary Rerun: Low Turnout Recorded in Okitipupa

Fidelis David in Akure

The rerun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State on Sunday recorded a low turnout across the 13 wards.

Recall that the governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo and chairman of the seven-member committee set up by the national leadership of APC to supervised the exercise to elect a flagbearer for the November 16 poll in Ondo declared the governorship primary inconclusive.

In a statement signed and made available to Journalists on Sunday morning, Ododo, said having received reports of the primary election from the 203 Wards in the 18 Local Governments of Ondo State, the Primary election Committee had decided that election will be conducted in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa Local Government, having a total validated registered members of 9,515.

His announcement came amdist protest by seven of the aspirants over the conduct of the election, calling for the cancellation of the governorship primary election of the party over alleged irregularities.

The aspirants, Olusola Oke (SAN), Hon Olugbenga Edema, Hon Wale Akinterinwa, Prof Dayo Faduyile, Jimi Odimayo Mrs Funmilayo Adekojo asked the leadership of the party to, as a matter of urgency, remove Governor Usman Ododo, who is the Chairman of Electoral Committee.

THISDAY observed that the rerun in Okitipupa Ward 1 at Stellamaris College, Ward 2 at St. John Primary School, Ayeka/Igbodigo ward and Ikoya/Igbinsin/Oloto ward in Ikoya, all in Okitipupa LGA wards recorded low turnout of voters and security agents, compared to the large voter turnout on Saturday.

However, the low turnout of voters might also be unconnected with the violence recorded in some wards on Saturday.

As at the time of filing this report, the winner of the primary was yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, 16 APC aspirants are contesting the governorship election through a direct primary election.
They include Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; former Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa; Olusola Oke (SAN); former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; former National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Isaacs Kekemeke and former Commissioner who represented the State on the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Gbenga Edema.

Others are Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, member of the House of Representatives, Jimi Odimayo, Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi, Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile and Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele while the two female aspirants among them are Funmilayo Adekojo, and Mrs. Funke Omogoroye Judith.