Minister of Communications and governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Adebayo Shittu has rejected the adoption of indirect option of tomorrow’s governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo state.
Recall that among the six States in the southwest, Oyo State was the only State that settled for the indirect option to pick its standard bearers for the forthcoming general elections.
Insideoyo.com had reported that the APC National Working Committee approved indirect primaries for the state chapter in a move that favors Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
But addressing newsmen in Abuja, Barr. Shittu claimed that the Oyo State Governor, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi chose the indirect option in order to impose his preferred candidate on the APC faithful in the State.
The Communications Minister further argued that the congresses that produced the list of delegates for tomorrow’s primary was already subject of litigation and claimed that recourse to direct primary would ensure that genuine party faithful participate in the process that would select the party candidates for all elective positions.
The statement reads in part, “Barrister Adebayo Shittu, the leading Governorship candidate of Action Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State rejects the recommendation of the National Working Committee of the APC for Indirect Primary in the State for the following reasons.
“Those to serve as delegates for the proposed Indirect Primary constitute the bulk of those handpicked for the ill-fated Congresses conducted in Oyo state where they were selected in a parallel congress. It should be recalled that the said congresses produced two sets of delegates of which only the supporters of Governor Ajimobi, rather than those of Barrister Adebayo Shittu were recognized by the former national executive of APC. This had led to litigation in the court in which is yet to be concluded. In this circumstance, it will only be fair that the party implement a Direct Primary model to allow for fairness and unbiased process, for all candidates from both factions of the Party in Oyo State.
“Is it not curious that of all the South Western States, it is only Oyo that is recommended for an Indirect model which is deliberately being implemented to exclude Barrister Adebayo Shittu from having a fair opportunity to contest, participate and win in the Gubernatorial Primary Election?
“If Mr President who has a countrywide constituency has agreed to submit himself for direct primary, why would Governor Ajimobi’s faction refuse direct primary which allows all aspirants in the party to test their popularity and give party members a fair opportunity of voting for the candidate of their choice.”
“Is it not instructive that many foresaw the current regrettable fate of APC in Osun State? In view of this fact, would the Party allow Ajimobi’s desperate desire to produce a stooge as a candidate, which majority of the masses in the State have vowed not to support if presented by the party for the general election? This would undoubtedly be an albatross to the party in the forthcoming election.
“The APC ought to abide by the rule of law and respect the court processes instead of creating future legal hurdles for the party, as the Court may eventually nullify the outcome of any Indirect Primary Election.
“We, therefore, call on the National Chairman of our great party and the National Working Committee to have a rethink of this process, do the needful by implementing Direct Primary election which is the only option Barrister Shittu has agreed to participate in and save the party from imminent defeat in the coming gubernatorial election in Oyo State.”
