TheNewsGuru

Tag: primaries

  • Inconclusive primaries: Expect more violence from APC come 2019 – Fayose

    Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, has mocked the disruption of Saturday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries by thugs allegedly loyal to one of the aspirants.

    The voting exercise in the governorship primaries of the APC in Ekiti was disrupted on Saturday by some protesters at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, venue of the exercise.

    The protesters had alleged that attempts were being made by some party officials to compromise the process.

    Reacting, Fayose took to his Twitter handle to describe APC members as ”hypocrites and enemies of democracy” adding that the party is a house divided against itself.

    He wrote, ”The whole world can now see the so-called progressives. Ordinary primary election, the APC could not hold here in Ekiti. These people are hypocrites and enemies of democracy, masquerading as progressives.

    ”Their party is a house divided against itself, its center will never hold.

    ”If they could be this violent during their own primary election, won’t they do worse things during the election proper?

    ”INEC must be mindful of being used to manipulate the July 14 election in favour of APC. More so that they have by their conduct today, failed themselves.”

  • BREAKING: Ekiti APC primaries stalled as agents clash over alleged irregularities

    The governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State was on Saturday suspended due to alleged irregularities and subsequent outbreak of order by party agents.

    Voting was ongoing and a good number of delegates had cast their votes when suddenly delegates raised the alarm that a candidate, the Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, was breaching the rules without any caution from the organisers.

    The agents of the other aspirants alleged that the process had been compromised due to some practice allegedly introduced by delegates voting for Fayemi, a former governor of the state.

    The agents immediately disrupted the process, forcing security agents to cordon off the voting area to secure the ballot boxes and papers.

    There was sporadic shooting by security personnel to ensure calm.

    Efforts by the Chairman of the organising committee, Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, to call the primaries to order were unsuccessful as at 5.00 p.m.

    However, Fayemi’s representative, Abejide Adewumi, said other agents realised that his candidate was coasting home to victory and decided to disrupt the process.

    He said the other aspirants should have allowed the process to go through even if they had grievances.

    He also added that the organisers should resume the process and allow the remaining delegates to cast their votes.

    In a swift response, the director general of the Babafemi Ojudu campaign, Ranti Adebisi, said the process could not continue because it had been compromised.

    “The process has been compromised. When there was a rule that you can only bring in two people. He brought in 18 observers. He cannot come here and disrupt what is going on in Ekiti State,” he said.

    Other agents complained that the party had no clear guidelines as to how the process should be conducted, changing the rules intermittently without informing those participating in the process.

    They also alleged that some security operatives close to the voting area were telling the delegates how to vote and to vote for Mr Fayemi.

    They want the process stopped and all their observations considered before the primaries could continued.

    Meanwhile, the organising committee has called for more security reinforcements to ensure that the situation does not degenerate further.

    Two former governors and three former senators are among the 33 governorship aspirants testing their popularity in Saturday’s primaries.

    Fayemi could not, however, be immediately reached for comments as at the time of filing this report.

  • Ekiti 2018: DPP holds guber primaries May 10

    Ekiti 2018: DPP holds guber primaries May 10

    The National Chairman of the Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPP), Mr Garshon Benson, said on Thursday that the party would on May 10 hold its primaries for the Ekiti governorship election.

    Benson said the party would hold credible primaries and was seriously preparing for it.

    He said DPP would ensure that a credible candidate would emerge as its flag bearer for the July 14 governorship poll.

    He said that three aspirants had already indicated interest to contest for the governorship seat under the party.

    “We are confident that INEC will do a good job by creating enabling environment and a level playing ground for all political parties and their candidates to participate in the poll.

    “We believe we are going to give a proper account of ourselves in Ekiti when the time comes.

    “All the three aspirants that have declared their intension so far are popular and they are sons of the state.

    “It is the delegates that will decide who will be the party’s flag bearer,’’ he said.

    Benson, however, advised those had yet to register in the ongoing nationwide continuous voter registration to do so.

    “We encourage anybody that is 18 years and above that had not registered to go and register and get his or her PVC.

    “It is with your PVCs that you can determine the fate of any government. You can vote in or vote out any government,’’ he said.

  • Primaries: Delta PDP assures levelled playing field

    The Delta State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has assured all aspirants and contestants a levelled playing field in the party’s upcoming primaries in the State.

    The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, made the assurance in a statement made available to TheNewsGuru today.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State Chapter, wish to state categorically that we are fully primed and determined to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants, contestants and all those who have confirmed their interest or are intending to contest in the Primaries of any elective office, under the platform of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    “We make this solemn pledge of fairness and equity to one and all in recognition, adherence and full compliance to the regulations of our party as contained in our Party Constitution and as espoused both by our dynamic National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and our party leader, His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (Ekwueme) at different fora, where they have pledged their commitment unequivocally, that there will be no more imposition of candidates and a level playing field will be provided for every qualified contestant in the forthcoming Primary elections for all positions,” the statement read.

    The statement further read, “We also wish to state clearly that while our desire and ultimate expectation is to encourage and engender healthy, robust, fair and vigourous competition, with comprehensive campaigns across all the constituencies, as we have always done in all elections, this pledge has also been made in cognizance of the fact that there may be scenarios where the collective decision of the people support the emergence and endorsement of a consensus candidate and in the event of such a situation, we shall ensure that such consensus arrangements meets all the globally approved and accepted democratic standards. Democracy must be entrenched and applied to the letter to guarantee a conclusion that will involve collective participation and be satisfactory to all.

    “We therefore wish to use this medium to encourage all our aspirants, contestants and their teeming supporters across the State, to carry on with their political consultations, calculations, negotiations, alignments and re-alignments and indeed their specific campaigns at the appropriate scheduled times and according to the stipulated guidelines, without fear of intimidation, covert or overt scheming or any other calculculated or perceived act interpreted to short-change, undermine or diminish the chances and prospects of anyone whose desire is to serve Deltans, as candidates of the PDP”.

    It “further appeal to all aspirants and intending contestants and their dedicated loyalists not to heat up the polity in the course of their political activities, even as we urge both contestants and supporters to ensure that they go to their respective units and wards to register and collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVC, in order to ensure that they vote the candidates of their choice in the 2019 general elections”.

     

  • 2019: APGA promises fair, transparent primaries

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said its primaries for aspirants seeking to contest in the 2019 general elections would be free, fair, credible and transparent.

    Dr Victor Oye, National Chairman of APGA, made the commitment in an interview with our Reporter in Awka on Tuesday.

    Oye said while reacting to insinuations that some aspirants had been promised automatic tickets, that all nominations would be strictly in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines.

    The APGA national chairman advised those aspiring for the party’s ticket for any elective position to embark on wooing support for themselves and the party in their various constituencies.

    He also stressed that good stewardship and loyalty to the party remained major criteria for those seeking re-election under the party.

    “APGA will hold transparent, credible primary for every elective office to be contested for in 2019 general election,” he said.

    Oye also spoke on Anambra politics, advising party members to allow Gov. Willie Obiano face the task of governance without distraction.

    “Leave the governor alone to concentrate on the avowed task of effective governance which is his primary focus for now,’’ he said.

  • Anambra guber: Labour Party holds primaries August 20

    Anambra guber: Labour Party holds primaries August 20

    The National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said the party would participate in the Nov. 18 governorship poll in Anambra and would hold the primaries on Aug. 20.

    Abdulsalam told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that the party would win the election, adding that it had been receiving and screening aspirant ahead of the primaries.

    “Labour Party has been doing tremendously well; we have been organising and strategising across the country, moving and preparing for the 2019 elections.

    “Presently we are on ground in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states and very soon we will get to other areas.

    “We have gone very far in our preparations toward the Anambra election and we are having our primary on Aug.20, 2019.

    “With the level of preparation and strategy, Labour Party will certainly produce the next governor of Anambra state,’’ he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released schedule for the Nov. 18 poll, with Aug. 18 to Nov. 16 fixed for campaigns by political parties…

    The commission also directed political parties to conduct their primaries between July 22 and Sept. 2.

     

     

    NAN