The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections supervised by Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State, were on Saturday rejected by Some gubernatorial aspirants of the party.
The APC in Ondo on Saturday conducted its primary elections in the 203 wards in the state ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial poll.
However, speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital, Gbenga Edema, one of the aspirants, called for the postponement of the election until “things were put in place”.
Edema expressed displeasure over the delay in the release of electoral materials, noting that it was contrary to the agreement reached during the stakeholders’ meeting on Friday.
Said he: “As I’m speaking to you at past 10:00 a.m., no electoral materials have been distributed.
“He told us that the accreditation would start between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and that voting would commence by 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
“But what we are hearing now is that the election has been concluded and the result announced.
“We asked the chairman, but he had no answer to our questions.
“We are not people that could be manipulated by godfathers. So, we are asking our national leadership that if they are not ready, they should postpone it until the right thing is done”.
Speaking also, Sola Ajisafe, who represented Wale Akinterinwa, another aspirant, said there was no election held in the state.
He called for the rescheduling of the election, noting that Ododo’s failure to follow due process was an “anti-democratic process”.
Stated Ajisafe: “My people have been calling me that no single material has been distributed in their wards.
“What is playing out here is a connivance and agreement by Governor Ododo to short-change the people of the state and reduce our capacity to choose our leader.
“We are saying that they should reschedule another election because this election did not even hold.
“This is another form of failure. Ododo has not performed his responsibility concerning this election. This is an anti-democratic process”.
Rotimi Ogunleye, who spoke on behalf of Olusola Oke, an aspirant, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the exercise.
Said Ogunleye: “I want to inform President Bola Tinubu, because he is our leader, that the men sent to conduct this election are not following the guidelines”.
Paul Oniyemofe, who represented Dayo Faduyile, another aspirant, described the election as a “day light robbery”, and asked for a reschedule of the poll.
Reacting, Ododo said electoral materials had been distributed to Ondo north and south senatorial districts.
He added that materials had also been delivered at Ondo central, promising to address all grievances.
New Constitution For Nigeria, Long Overdue – Senior Lawyer
Mohammed Ndarani.
The National Assembly was on Saturday in Abuja called to draft a new constitution instead of panel-beating the 1999 Constitution made by the military regime. Mohammed Ndarani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) made this call while reacting to his submission of a memorandum on the review of the 1999 Constitution to the House of Representatives.
He said the National Assembly had the power to draft an entirely new constitution, urging it to invoke its power to make a people’s constitution for Nigeria.
Observed Ndarani: “Developments in this country today justify the complete overhaul and comprehensive amendment to our 1999 constitution, which was only made as an annexure to a Military Decree.
“We have attempted to beat into shape and modify it through a myriad of amendments, but these efforts have still left much to be desired as they have not yielded the desired dividends”.
The SAN said they submitted the memorandum as an affirmation of their absolute faith and confidence in the National Assembly.
Stated he: “We believe that they will, without bias, collate and harmonise our views and other public views in this regard to produce a formidable document that will effectively, and truly reflect the historical, cultural, and traditional values of all Nigerians”.
He said that in their submission, they proposed a constitutional amendment that would reintroduce the Parliamentary form of government.
“We contend that the present Presidential form of government has outlived its usefulness.
Added he: “Western liberal democracy has not worked for Africa and the historical and traditional antecedents in Nigeria favour parliamentary governance”.
He disclosed that they also proposed the adoption of the six geopolitical zones to act in the capacity of regional governments.
He said they also recommendeded the independence and autonomy of the Local Government in tandem with the parliamentary system of government being proposed.
Said Ndarani: “We support and recommend the formation of State Police in all the states of the federation, which we consider long overdue.
“We recommended a comprehensive and all-embracing reform of the judiciary to make it capable of standing, performing optimally under the Parliamentary system of governance’’.
Ndarani said that they also recommended Electoral Reforms to strengthen INEC to deliver transparent, credible, free and fair elections.
Said the SAN: “There is an overwhelming need to re-strategise, overhaul and amend or enact a new electoral act and regulations to make the process responsive to the will, yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
“We have submitted our own recommendations hoping that the new constitution, or such amendments, would make provision for a referendum as a condition for the passage of any law or amendments being anticipated thenceforth.
“This, in our opinion, is what will give the said constitution or act the touch of the people and imbue it with the much-needed legitimacy and bring the laws closer to the people and the people closer to the law and the lawmakers”.
