The gubernatorial primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state has come to an end. The ruling party adopted direct primary which gave every member of the party equal right to choose the candidate of the party at the coming gubernatorial election in the state slated to hold on Saturday, July 16, 2022. Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) trooped out across the length and breadth to elect the next flagbearer of the party and the entire poll has come to an end.
Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo reports;
Like Osogbo, the capital of Osun state where shops and kiosks were locked up by their owners as a result of fear and possible attacks, the story of Ilesa, an ancient town in Osun is different. This reporter moved around popular areas in Ilesa and observed that shops and kiosks were opened. Eventhough some shops were partly opened but the percentage of shops who were fully opened is higher than those under closure or partly opened.
This reporter visited eight wards in Ilesa, the hometown of Rauf Aregbesola, the minister of interior; four wards in Ilesa east local government and four wards in Ilesa west local government. In all the eight wards visited, there was no violence recorded and little misunderstandings that would have escalated into violence were calmed by security agents and party elders on ground. Out of all eight wards this reporter visited, voting exercise in two wards were closely monitored.
WITHIN NIGERIA travelled around Ilesa to observe the security situation of some popular areas in the town but there was no record of violence. One of the two wards this reporter closely monitored the voting exercise is the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) situated along Ilesa to Ijebu-Ijesa road.
This reporter met a canopy infront of the school’s gate and people suspected to be members of the ruling party, APC were seen lottering around the area. As at the time of visitation, accreditation exercise was in progress and the area was peaceful. A politician who was later identified as Charles Akinola, the Chief of Staff to Governor Gboyega Oyetola was seen moving around the canopy, engaging people.
Some minutes later, this reporter left the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) and moved down to Ilesa Grammar School situated along Imo-Okesa road. This reporter walked into the school and saw people mostly women loitering around the vicinity. As at arrival time, the accreditation programme was in progress and police officers could be seen moving around. In the process of accreditation, there was a little misunderstanding which could have escalated to violence but the situation was brought under control by party elders who appealed to the aggrieved members.
A representative of Ilerioluwa, a group loyal to Governor Gboyega Oyetola simply identified as Ade told WITHIN NIGERIA that the conduct of party members is applaudable.
“Party members are displaying Omoluabi ethocs and the exercise has been peaceful so far. We are just waiting for the commencement of voting exercise and I believe it will be peaceful too, he added.
When contacted, a representative of ‘The Osun Progressives’ better known as TOP identified as Daniels told WITHIN NIGERIA that returning officers did not bring the original party register rather they presented a photocopied register.
“I have no doubt that it has been manipulated because I observed the rearrangement of names on the photocopied register which is different from the original one”, he added.
WITHIN NIGERIA can not confirm the allegation made by the TOP representative but there were reports of such allegation that ‘photocopied register of party members’ were presented at the poll centres.
Turnout of party members was massive – Oyetola
Governor Oyetola while addressing newsmen in Ward 1, Iragbiji commended the turnout of members of the party, adding that the members of the party have the opportunity to decide who will carry the flag of the party.
While suing for peace, Oyetola said: I want to appeal to all our people all over the state to, please, maintain peace. This election process should not be a battle field. It should not be a do or die affair. There should be no violence. Let everybody have the opportunity of participating. I think that’s the process and I think it has gone very well contrary to the speculation”
“I’ll win by the grace of God. I want to appeal to all of us to see this issue as a family affair. It’s APC all through. We should brace up for the challenge ahead. We are going to face another party in this campaign we don’t know yet.”
Exercise was peaceful, deviod of rancour – Osun Deputy governor, Alabi
The Deputy Governor of the state, Benedict Alabi while addressing newsmen also stated that the exercise so far was peaceful, devoid of rancour and well organised.
“People have assembled since 8am. Everybody here seems to be agog. I am happy we are having a peaceful, free and fair election. The fact is that there is only one candidate that is contesting the primary in Osun and that’s the incumbent governor.
“We have the other faction with other two aspirants. They are not even visible in this community.”
APC guber primary is an exercise in futility – Salinsile
However, the factional Chairman of Aregbesola’s group in the party, The Osun Progressives , Honourable Rasaq Sanisile has faulted the primary election, saying it’s effort in futility.
Sanisile while speaking with the newsmen in ward 4, Isale Oba in Iwo local government said members of his group were disenfranchised as they couldn’t find their names on the party’s register.
He alleged conspiracy by the state governor, Gboyega Oyetola with the party at the national level since he is one of the National Extral Ordinary Caretaker Committee of the party, saying, his group will reject the outcome of whatever outcome of the exercise.
He said: “Up till today, we have not seen the register of the party, which is against the rule of the game. At least, each of the spirant if expected to have a copy of the register of members but none of them has it.
“We raised it at the stakeholders meeting at the party secretariat. Many of our supporters can’t find their names on the register. Governor Oyetola is one of the National Caretaker Committee of the party and he is one of those that planned the primary election. No one will set exam questions and fail himself.
“All these anomalies will tell on the outcome of the election exercise. I see it as mere exercise, a waste of time and resources. We said it earlier that there are somethings that should be carried out before this election. As a member of the caretaker committee, Oyetola should have resigned 30 days before this election but he refused to resign.
“This primary was earlier scheduled to hold on March 5 but it was brought back to February 19 because the National Convention would come up on February 26 and he knew that new set of people will be on board and he wouldn’t have the kind of influence he has now by then. That’s why he is making nonsense of this exercise.
“He is only abusing the position he holds as a member of CECPC. So, whatever comes out of this exercise is a nullity, we won’t take it.
APC guber primary election can not be free and fair – TOP youth leader, Oluwaseun
Likewise, the youth leader of The Osun Progressives better known as TOP, a faction in the APC, Comrade Abosede Oluwaseun said the primary of the APC to elect the flag bearer of the party in the July 16th governorship election holding today can not be free and fair.
This was stated on Saturday morning by the youth leader in an Arise TV morning flagship programme monitored in Osogbo.
According to Abosede, from all indications and previous records of the activities of the party since the advent of Governor Gboyega Oyetola as a member of the National Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), nothing has been done free and fear and we don’t expect this to be different.
“The primary can not be fear when Governor Oyetola is a referee in a match he is also playing. He has used his position as a member of the CECPC to his advantage during the last congresses of our party. We have it on good authority that he singlehandedly picked members of the Election Committee for this primary.
“As we speak, we don’t have access to the voter’s register which is the membership register of our party, when our leaders requested for the voters register from the Abdulrahman Abdulrasak led committee, they ask that they should request it from the National Secretariat, we don’t know the names of those on the register as at this morning.”
Comrade Abosede also said Oyetola has violated the APC constitution with impunity, he said, “According to the APC constitution, Article 31(III), Oyetola ought to have resigned his membership of the CECPC 30 days before the primary.”
He added that “We don’t know the names of the returning officers for the election, however, we heard that they are local government councilors appointed by Governor Oyetola, so it is clear the election has already been compromised”.
He however said the Salinsile faction of the party will participate fully in the election and that they are behind the former Secretary of the State Government, Moshood Adeoti.
CLAIMS
There are claims that some agents who are loyal to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola approached some party members with paltry sums to vote for the Governor. This incident reportedly occured in Ward 4, Ilesa West Local Government of the State. WITHIN NIGERIA could not confirm the incident but there are pictures captured in the act which have gone viral. In these pictures, some old women could be seen receiving paltry sums from unknown agents.
There are also claims that returning officers presented photocopied register of party members. According to members loyal to Aregbesola, these photocopied registers have been manipulated.
There are also claims that some yet-to-be identified youths suspected to be hoodlums disrupted the voting exercise in some wards such as Ward 8 in Ipetu-Ijesa, Owena, Ife, Iwo and other areas.