A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, Ondo Vanguard For Good Governance, has asked the leadership of the party and President Bola Tinubu to address the party’s non-compliance with the electoral guidelines in the forthcoming governorship primaries in the state.

The group, in a statement issued and signed by its Coordinator, Evangelist Tade Ojo, said the concerns raised by the group became necessary in order not to render the primary election of the party invalid.

The group decried the non-compliance in the implementation of the guidelines of the National Secretariat of the party in the conduct of Congress elections that would produce the delegates required to ratify the outcome of the primary of the party, billed for 20th April 2024.

Ojo in the statement frowned over the undemocratic manner the Congress Committee handled the exercise, saying the Committee was not only absent at the venues of the Congress across the state, but they also arbitrarily allocated figures in their hideout.

He stated in the statement that: “It is pertinent that the leadership of the APC in Ondo State and national, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, call these merchants to order before they plunge the party and the state to avoidable crisis”

Ojo explained “In relation to the foregoing, we are constrained to, once again, use this opportunity to call your attention, those of our state and national leadership, as well as that of the good people of Ondo State and Nigeria, to the abysmal and undemocratic manner the Congress Committee handled the exercise.

“In the desperation to align with the dreadful conquering desire and propensities of the governor, HE Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the members of the Committee did not only absent at the venues of the Congress across the state, they arbitrarily allocated figures in their hideout, as a summation of the heavy commercialisation of the orchestrated and negatively-skewed exercise.

“The committee members across the state employed two different sets of result sheets – one by the local government Congress Committee and another by the State Congress Committee.

“The parlous execution of this sensitive and sacrosanct exercise further manifested in the refusal to appoint or use designated Ward election officers, among others.

“It was particularly disheartening that members of the party that bought the expression of intent forms to contest as delegates were disregarded and left forlorn, just because of the unbridled political cannibalisation of some APC members and leaders, who felt they were establishing the foundation to rig the primary election of the APC, coming up on Saturday.

These manipulators must know and note that we shall not rest on our oars in the preservation of our common good.

“In the coming days, we shall continue to engage with the public on how things stand in the APC in the State, as the project of a better Ondo State is beyond the fulfilment of individual ambitions”

But the Director of Information, Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Campaign Organisation, Kayode Fasua, said “The process for the conduct of the primary election in the State was laid bare by the party.

“If there are areas needing clarification, they should approach the party. As for us, we are, in good conscience, prepared for the primary election.”