By Remi Koleoso
Ado-Ekiti – A House of Representatives aspirant in Ekiti, Chief Kayode Babade, on Tuesday urged the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Working Committee to intervene in the state’s upcoming primaries.
Babade had faulted the decision of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party to apply indirect method to pick its National Assembly candidates in the state.
The aspirant, who is contesting to represent Ikere/Ekiti South west/Ise/Orun Federal constituency 1, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti.
He, therefore, called on the National Chairman of the party, Chief Adams Oshiomhole to overrule the SWC on its decision in the interest of the party.
He accused some of the party’s state executives of using their office to scheme some of the aspirants out of the contest and give automatic tickets to their cronies.
But the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Ade Ajayi, denied the allegations, saying that the party is not working against the directive of the national secretariat.
He said the SWC reviewed the security situation in the state and realized that it was also not in the best interest of the party to go with the direct primaries.
“The SWC met yesterday to review the security situation in the state, though, there was resolution on September 15 at Otunba Niyi Adebayo’s residence in Iyin-Ekiti, where it was resolved to adopt a direct mode of primaries.
“But, the constitution allows for direct, indirect and consensus mode of primaries. So, we have resolved for the indirect mode and all elections will be held in Ado Ekiti here and not in any local government.
“Any aspirant making such an allegation is only being mischievous.”
Babade, who was the immediate past Chairman of the party in the South senatorial district, recalled that during the governorship primaries, the same scenario happened and it was overruled.
“When the first primary could not hold, we all went to the former party chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun that we should apply the indirect method, but he said no, that we can’t just change the rule of the game a week to the primaries and that it has to be delegates.
“So, the second attempt was conducted by delegates.
“On this same issue, we were told emphatically at stakeholders meeting at Iyin-Ekiti in the house of Otunba Niyi Adebayo, the Deputy Chairman, South of our party that Ekiti is adopting direct primaries, so, what happened just yesterday till this morning that the state executives are now changing it.
“There are two different things entirely. We have not been working on delegates, moving from one ward to another mobilizing people, so that they can vote for us, but now that they suddenly changed it, how do you expect me to work with delegates that I don’t know.
“The ward delegates have not been sworn in, especially in my local government, Ikere and how do we identify them, work and convince them to vote for me within 24 hours.
“So, the two systems differ perfectly. But as things are, I hope they will listen to the voice of reasoning and obey the national secretariat’s directives,” she said.
(NAN)
