Presidential aspirants will write exam before contesting in 2019 - National Secretary

Presidential aspirants vying for the primary ticket of KOWA Party (KP) for the 2019 presidential election will be subjected to a written examination before they can contest.

This was disclosed by the party's National Secretary, Mark Adebayo, while speaking at the party's Lagos State congress at Light Chapel Event Centre, Ilupeju, Lagos, on Saturday, February 3, 2018.

He also revealed that gubernatorial aspirants contesting for tickets under the party will be subjected to the same assessment so as to produce the best candidates for important political positions in 2019.

He said, "There will be a written examination for presidential candidates of KOWA Party, and governorship candidates. At least for those two categories. We need a candidate who can sell the party profitably to Nigeria."

According to Adebayo, the party is eager to choose its presidential flag bearer on August 18, 2018, the date the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled for primary elections to commence.

While speaking, he confirmed that KOWA already has four aspirants, including Professor Remi Sonaiya, vying for its presidential ticket.

Prof Sonaiya, who was also at the congress, was the party's flag bearer in the 2015 presidential election and will be expected to be the favourite to win the ticket again for 2019.

In 2015, she won 13,076 votes, 0.05% of the total votes cast, as incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives' Congress (APC) coasted to victory with 15,424,921 (53.96%) votes.

Lagos gets incomplete SEC

At the congress of the party's Lagos division, six new members were elected to the State Executive Committee (SEC) to oversee its operations.

With 79 out of 489 registered delegates voting through the party's electronic voting platform, Dr Fadahunsi Fajuyitan was elected as the party's state chairman after serving as interim since 2016.

Other officers elected include: Dr Bimbo Oyedokun as Deputy Chairman; Emmanuel Ayomide-Baafog as Secretary; Emenyi Abang as Organising Secretary; Abhulimen Marvins as Public Relations Officer; and Chimezie Nwosu as Youth Caucus Leader.

The six new officers make up an incomplete committee as there were no contestants for positions such as women leader, treasurer, and legal adviser.

National Secretary, Adebayo, pointed out the absence of any female contestants which was in violation of the party's constitution which demands that such a committee is made up of, at least, 35% of the female gender.

He advised the new chairman, Dr Fajuyitan, to conduct a supplementary election to rectify the situation.

KOWA's apology for Osun LG elections

Following its woeful performance at the local government elections in Osun State which held on January 27, 2018, Prof Sonaiya issued an apology on behalf of the party.

"Good day. We owe the public an explanation and apologies on the Osun State LG election. In promoting leadership by younger people, the risk of mistakes due to lack of experience is high. Means we need closer supervision. This has cost us a lot, but we're learning. We are sorry", she tweeted.

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Origin of KOWA Party

KOWA Party was officially registered as a political party on July 16, 2009. According to a statement on its website, the party is made up of "mostly political activists, professionals and politicians who did not find a level playing ground in the god-father-dominated political parties. This means that we are not the typical, conventional, rotten politician's clique."