Ganduje’s Purported Suspension Won’t Affect Ondo Primary Election, Others – APC

All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the purported suspension of its national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, will not affect tomorrow’s Ondo State governorship primary election and any decision or action of the party.

APC national secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru stated this at the inauguration of the Ondo State Governorship Election and Appeals Committees at the party’s secretariat in Abuja yesterday.

Basiru said the party has obtained an order from a Federal High Court directing that the purported suspension by the impostors (Ganduje Ward EXCO) should be in abeyance pending the determination of the case.

“There are a lot of lies going about the state of our party. We have obtained an order from the Federal High Court that the purported suspension by the impostors should be in abeyance pending the determination of the case.

“We are not violating any rule because we have an order of a competent court to say that the status of the chairman of the party be maintained. The order remains positive, valid until it is vacated by another court of competent jurisdiction,” he said.

While inaugurating the committees, Ganduje said they were given free hands to carry out the exercise in line with the rules and guidelines of the party as well as extant laws.

He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very important exercise. You know democracy is democracy in action. You know democracy controversy is a whole department. We don’t expect a 100 percent peaceful process but we are equal to the task. We expect you to be focused, highly organised and we expect you to be vigilant. We contacted all the stakeholders. Security agencies were contacted to cover the venue adequately.

In his acceptance speech, the Kogi State governor and chairman of Ondo governorship primary election, Usman Ododo said the panel would produce the best candidate for the party in line with its constitution.

Represented by his deputy, Joel Salifu, Ododo said he will collaborate with all the committee members to “produce the best candidate for Ondo gubernatorial election.

“And in so doing we will abide by the principles, the doctrines and the constitution of our great party. And peace will return now, during and even after the election of Ondo State.”

Earlier, the national organising secretary of the party, Muhammad Argungu, said 171,922 delegates drawn from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of Ondo are duly certified to take part in the primary election.

“We have received a Certified True Copy CTC from INEC showing 173,181 membership while our revalidation came down to 171, 922,” he said.