APC's Omo-Agege-chaired primary election committee meets aspirants

The election committee for Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, on Thursday met with all the 17 aspirants, and called for calm.

Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, chairman of the committee, who addressed the aspirants at the party's Secretariat in Osogbo, urged them to eschew violence and bitterness during the exercise.

Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central at the Senate, promised that the committee would conduct a free, fair and transparent primary in accordance with the party's constitution and guidelines.

"We are neutral in this election and we are not here to impose any aspirant on you. We will give you a credible election that all of you will be proud of. We will be fair to all," he said.

The senator, who later read out the guidelines for the primary, said that anyone that would participate in the election must be a registered member of the party.

He said that each member would also be accredited with a valid voters card or party membership card before he could vote.

Omo-Agege said members, who wished to vote, must also be physically present at the ward where he or she registered.

He said that a 5-man committee was constituted in all the local governments and a 3-man committee at the ward levels.

The senator added that Gov. Abdul'aziz Yari of Zamfara would be the chairman of the committee.

According to him, direct method of voting would be used to conduct the primary in line with the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Some of the aspirants in their reactions alleged that the primary had been schemed in favour of a particular aspirant.

They also alleged that few hours to the primary they were yet to receive the party's register that would be used.

Omo-Agege, however, maintained that the primary would be free and fair, adding that the committee came with election materials from Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the direct primaries would be conducted in all the 332 wards across the state on Friday.

NAN also reports that some of the prominent aspirants for the primary are; Mr Lasun Yusuf, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and Mr Najeem Salaam, Speaker, State House of Assembly.

Others are Mr Gboyega Oyetola, Gov. Aregbesola's Chief of Staff and Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Secretary to the State Government, among others.