A total of 171,922 registered members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State are billed to participate in Saturday’s governorship primaries to elect the party’s candidate for the November election.
The number represents the delegates for the direct primaries, which would be held in all the 203 wards of the state.
The National Organising Secretary of the party, Muhammad Argungu, made this known in Abuja during the inauguration of a seven-man committee that would oversee the conduct of the primary election.
The committee is headed by the Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo.
He said while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent the Certified True Copy of 173, 181 membership register to the party, a revalidation done by the party brought the figure down to 171, 922.
“All the 16 aspirants who purchased nomination and expression of interest forms had been vetted as provided for in the APC constitution.
“It was done to comply with the provisions of the Constitution and to ensure that all the aspirants were duly vetted for the primaries.
“The aspirants had consequently been screened by the party’s screening committee for the Ondo election,” said Mr Argungu.
Inaugurating the committee, the party chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, said after the completion of its work, the appeal committee would listen to complaints and attend to them.
“If there is any disagreement, then the appeal committee will listen and that is part of internal democracy, which we have to abide by as provided by our constitution.
“Members of this committee have been selected based on their experiences and integrity. The primary election committee is chaired by no other person but our new governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” he further said.
Mr Ganduje, who noted that controversies were an integral part of democracy, urged the primary election committee to be focused and highly organised in discharging its mandate.
READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Ondo APC Primaries: How Aiyedatiwa, Oke, others’ fate will be decided
He disclosed that the party had contacted relevant stakeholders including security agencies ahead of the election and that there were assurances of a peaceful environment.
Responding, Mr Ododo, who was represented by his deputy, Joel Salihu, expressed his commitment to the task ahead.
“If there is any job not to be done, it must not be the one sent by Mr President and the National Chairman of the party and the party itself. Any work I am sent to do must be done.
“I have accepted to collaborate with all the committee members to produce the best candidate for Ondo gubernatorial election and in so doing, I will abide by the principle, doctrine and constitution of our great party,” he said.
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