OSUN APC Primary for Gubernatorial Election Hold Today

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, yesterday, postponed its gubernatorial primary election scheduled to hold today.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement last night that the primary election would now hold tomorrow.

“The APC primaries to elect the party’s candidate for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election have been postponed from Thursday 19th July, 2018 to Friday 20th July, 2018.

“However, a meeting between the Primary Election Committee chaired by H.E. Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, Governor of Zamfara State and stakeholders will hold at the Osun State capital, Oshogbo on Thursday (Today),” he said.

Kunle Oyatomi, the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the party in Osun State had earlier yesterday in Osogbo said the action was taken due to what he called “unforeseen development.”

But credible sources in Abuja told the Daily Trust last night that the postponement was to avert “additional trouble” for the party in view of the fact that the last congresses of the APC had left a deep scar in no fewer than 24 states where parallel leaders emerged.

According to one of the sources, “Some aggrieved members in many states have gone to court protesting that their governors have planted their stooges as delegates; it is these delegates that would be used in conducting primaries.

“But what the leadership of the APC wants to do now is to make every card carrying member a delegate; meaning those who feel cheated have gotten a respite now. They would have a say in who becomes what and power of incumbency will play very little role. Popular candidates with large followership would have their way while less popular candidates would also have a say; this is what we call democracy and we believe this method will strengthen our party in the coming days beginning from Osun,” he said.

The suspended primary election in Osun was meant to choose the APC gubernatorial flag bearer ahead of the September 22 election in the state.

The National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had on Monday said direct primary election method would be used in Osun to choose a candidate from the 17 aspirants cleared to vie for the governorship. 

According to Oshiomhole, the method “remained the most democratic way of handling the primary.”