Ondo Governorship Election: APC to Conduct Indirect Primary, Says Bello

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary Election Committee for Ondo State and Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has confirmed that the party will conduct an indirect primary to select its candidate for the governorship election.

Bello made the announcement at a news conference shortly after the inauguration of the committee at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

He said the decision to use the indirect primary method had already been taken by the former National Working Committee of the party and later ratified by the APC National Executive Committee.

According to Bello, the Ondo State chapter of the APC had chosen the indirect mode and the matter was therefore settled.

“The Ondo primary election would be conducted via indirect mode,” he said.

Bello explained that the responsibility of the committee was to ensure that the exercise was conducted freely, fairly and transparently so that all aspirants would be treated equally.

He said the ultimate objective was to produce a candidate who would be acceptable to party members and capable of winning the general election.

The governor also disclosed that Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello was involved in efforts to reconcile the aspirants and encourage cooperation ahead of the primary.

Bello maintained that individual aspirants could not determine the rules governing the contest, stressing that all members were expected to abide by the APC constitution, election guidelines, the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

He compared the situation to a general election, arguing that a political party could not dictate to the Independent National Electoral Commission the rules under which an election should be conducted.

Bello nevertheless assured the aspirants that the committee would treat them fairly and conduct a credible exercise.

He expressed confidence that the process would produce a candidate capable of uniting the party and securing victory in the governorship election.

Earlier, Chairman of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, urged members of the primary election committee to remain fair and impartial.

Buni also appealed to the aspirants to accept the outcome of the primary in good faith and ensure that their supporters avoided violence or any action capable of disrupting the exercise.

He said the party was committed to maintaining unity and conducting a transparent process that would strengthen public confidence in the APC ahead of the Ondo governorship election.