Omogoroye, Jimoh Ibrahim file appeals against Aiyedatiwa’s victory

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary Appeal Committee, which former governor of Bauchi State Abdullahi Abubakar chairs received petitions from two more aspirants for the governorship primary in Ondo State last Saturday,

Folakemi Omogoroye and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim submitted their petitions contesting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s declaration as the winner.

Olugbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, and Wale Akinterinwa are the other aspirants who filed appeals.

Ibrahim and Omogoroye, contended that the gubernatorial primary was riddled with anomalies and did not meet a noteworthy level.

They called for the cancellation of the primary and the conduct of a fresh primary.

Omogoroye said: “I am urging you to cancel the election and order a fresh election in which all the laid down guidelines for a credible election will be followed and a level-playing field will be assured and ensured for all players in the election.

“Anything short of this is an open endorsement of the robbery of Saturday by the leadership of our party.”

Jimoh Ibrahim said: “This is an appeal to your committee to cancel the primary election held in Ondo State on April 20, 2024, on the ground that there was no election in the 203 wards and this is evidenced by the many petitions before your committee, as captured on the ground below.

“Ground One: non-compliance with your rules. I paid N100 million for the validation of over 40,000 party members and those members were not allowed to be revalidated across Ondo State. This was because no voters’ register was made available in the wards to which members could be validated.

“On Ground Two on provision of electoral materials: No electoral materials were provided for the conduct of the election, the local government electoral officials were kept in the hotel during the period of the election for several hours and only result sheets were given to them. The ward electoral officers were provided by one of the aspirants – Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“My agents were not accredited in all the wards, and they did not sign election the result sheet since none was made available to them.

“I received in my house in the village, Igbotako, at 7 p.m. on the day of the election, the local government’s Returning Officer and members of his committee. They informed me that they were in my house to capture my vote, but I sent them away since my house is not a polling venue. The returning officer said he was instructed from above.

“Based on the four grounds stated above, the election should be cancelled and re-conducted immediately.”

Governor Aiyedatiwa has not received any congratulations from the other fifteen candidates, who participated in the primaries.