The National Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has invited all the aspirants who participated in the just concluded governorship primaries in Ondo State.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the invitation by the national secretariat is aimed at finding a way to pacify the aspirants to secure a united front for the party in the coming election.
It was also learnt that the meeting has been scheduled for Thursday this week at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in Ondo State, Alex Kalejaiye, confirmed the invitation, saying, “It has been proposed.
“The state office is making efforts to persuade the aspirants to attend the meeting,” he added.
Sources within the APC, however, told PREMIUM TIMES that the aggrieved aspirants were reluctant to honour the invitation, as they were not willing to give up the struggle to upturn the election of Mr Aiyedatiwa.
It will be recalled that the Ahmed Ododo committee declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the primaries amidst protests by other aspirants.
The aspirants alleged that there were no elections in all the 203 wards in the state.
Mr Aiyedatiwa scored 48,569 votes to beat 15 other aspirants to the coveted ticket.
He was closely followed by Mayowa Akinfolarin, who polled 15,343 votes, and Olusola Oke, who garnered 14,915 votes.
Jimoh Ibrahim, the serving senator for Ondo South, polled 9456 votes; Wale Akinterinwa, 1,952; Isaac Kekemeke, 1,045; Gbenga Edema, 395; Olamide Ohunyeye, 424; Jimi Odimayo, 490; Olusoji Ehinlanwo, 492; Morayo Lebi, 290; Diran Iyantan, 348; Francis Faduyile, 353; Ifeoluwa Oyedele, 462; Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo, 529 and Funke Omogoroye, 115 votes.
However, five of the aspirants have already filed petitions before the appeals committee of the party, disputing the results declared by Mr Ododo.
The aspirants who petitioned the committee are Olugbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, Wale Akinterinwa, Folakemi Omogoroye and Jimoh Ibrahim.
In their separate petitions, the aspirants alleged that no elections were held in the wards and that the committee did not comply with the guidelines for the election.
They also complained of a complete absence of voting materials for the election.
They unanimously called for the cancellation of the primary election, and that a fresh date be fixed for another election that would be handled by a new committee.
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