Ondo APC Vows To Boycott LG Elections, Says ‘It Is A Sham And Illegal’

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have vowed to boycott the April 23 local government election that was announced last week by the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) along with the release of a timetable.

Delta State Chairman of APC, Isaacs Kekemeke

The Party leaders, who converged at a “Leaders’ Consultative Meeting” in Akure, the State capital, said they have resolved not to participate in the illegal election being “arranged” by Governor Olusegun Mimiko for his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and paid “mushroom” Parties.

A SaharaReporters correspondent gathered that the purpose of the consultative meeting was to acquaint the leaders of the APC with the state of affairs of the Party, as well to strategize ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the State.

Speaking at the meeting, Isaacs Kekemeke, the State chairman of the Party accused the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) of conniving with members of the PDP to issue a 90 days notice of “selecting” local government chairmen and councilors throughout the 18 local areas of the State at expense of the opposition Party.

Mr. Kekemeke described the coming local government election as a “sham and illegal” capable of heating up the polity in the State. He also noted that a substituting case relating to the election over the sacking of local chairmen was still pending at the Supreme Court and wondered why the election would be fixed to take place.

He stressed that those who constitute the electoral umpires of the OSIEC, were card-carry members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the defunct Labor Party (LP) in the State whose integrity and fairness to issues are questionable.

“Our participation or otherwise has been thoroughly discussed at the Central Working Committee, the State Executive Committee, and the expanded Executive.

“The conclusion reached was that the election is a sham meant to trap our Party. It is an illegal ‘election’ that is about to be conducted when there is a subsisting case on the matter at the Supreme Court,” Mr. Kekemeke explained.

The Party chairman also noted that the OSIEC was composed almost entirely of members of the LP and PDP. He expressed his skepticism that the election could possibly be free and fair given the composition of the OSIEC.

Already, the APC has asked its supporters to rally in support of all the governorship aspirants in the Party in order to choose the best ?candidates that would be picked for the forthcoming governorship election in the State.

Its leaders said ?a primary election would be conducted and the Party’s aspirants would be given a level playing field to contest the slot while soliciting for cooperation among supporters.

“Let me unequivocally and categorically state that, the primaries of the Party for picking the gubernatorial flag bearer will be open, fair, transparent and credible.

“The guidelines to be issued by the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee will be followed strictly and a level playing ground provided for all,” the leaders said.

Sahara Reporters