INEC confirms indirect mode of primary for Ondo governorship election
It will produce unpopular candidate — Kekemeke
Dayo Johnson – Akure
The Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the indirect mode of the primary would be used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 20 governorship primary in Ondo state.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju said this in Akure.
Akeju pointed out that the indirect mode of the primary was communicated to INEC through a letter from the APC national Secretariat.
Ambassador Akeju said that all the 17 Political Parties would adopt an indirect primary system in their election to pick their flag bearers.
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Recall that majority of the aspirants in the ruling APC in the state have clamoured for the use of direct primary in the coming election.
It will produce an unpopular candidate, Kekemeke insists
Meanwhile, the Pioneer State Chairman of Party Hon Isaacs Kekemeke has said that any other mode of primary apart from Direct mode, will produce an unpopular candidate.
Kekemeke said that adopting any other mode will “prevent party members from picking most popular among the 12 aspirants in the party during the primary election.
The screening of the ten aspirants started on Wednesday in Abuja and was expected to end today.
Kekemeke was reacting to the speculation that the party had adopted indirect primary for the July election.
He explained that direct primary had the capacity to sensitise and mobilise party members for eventual inter-party election.
“It gives party members a sense of obligation to deliver, giving them a moral responsibility to work for the party’s candidate because they were involved in the selection.
“Direct primary provides level playing ground for all aspirants and therefore promotes fairness, equity and justice.
“It removes the influence of money, eliminates cash-and-carry and removes ‘kidnap syndrome’ whereby delegates are kidnapped and kept in a place,”
Kekemeke said there was a lingering problem arising from the 2018 congresses, adding that direct primary would remove controversy and allow participation of all registered party members.
The former Secretary to the State Government SSG said the direct primary would also portray the party’s national leadership as consistent and predictable, having adopted it in previous shadow polls in Lagos, Osun, and Edo states.
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“In fact, it’s COVID-19 protocol compliant; why would they gather 2000 or more delegates in a place as against smaller gatherings in their various wards.
“Any politician who asks for the disenfranchisement of his party members is unpopular, undemocratic, and should be rejected,” he said.
On the chances of the ruling party in Ondo State in view of its performance during the 2019 elections, Kekemeke said the party, though not cohesive, remained the most popular party in the state.
He, therefore, promised to deploy his experience in governance and party administration to bring all party members together as a family if elected.
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