…as ADP adopts direct

By Jubril Bada

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Following the announcement of February 26 for the conduct of Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency Bye-election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties in Ondo State have said that they are battle ready for the poll.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state said that they are awaiting their national bodies to communicate to them the mode of primary to be adopted in picking their candidates among   aspirants aspiring for the vacant position, while the Action Democratic Party (ADP) disclosed that direct primary would  be used in picking its candidate.

The spokespersons of APC and PDP and the secretary of the  ADP stated this in separate chats at the weekend.

The State Director, Media and Publicity of the APC, Mr. Steve Otaloro, explained that the national body of the party would decide the mode of primary to be adopted in picking its candidate for the election.

He added that the mode of primary which may be either direct, indirect or consensus would be communicated to the party in the state by its national body.

“As it is known that the Electoral Amendment Law which include direct primary bill has not been given assent by the president and therefore we are looking forward to the national body on which mode of our party’s primary will be used,” he said.

As regard the election, Otaloro boasted that the party was more than prepared as about 15 aspirants under the platform of the APC have been going round the 18 local government areas for consultation.

According to him, the aspirants have liberty to campaign openly now that the INEC has announced the date of the election.

The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, pointed out that as soon as the party in the state receives the guideline it would proceed accordingly on the election.

His words” INEC has announced the time-table for the bye-election. You are also aware that, it is the National Secretariat of our party that gives the guidelines, the only thing l can say at the moment is that we are battle ready for the contest.

“As soon as we receive the guidelines we shall proceed accordingly”

Commenting, the State Secretary of the ADP, Comrade Innocent Ayomide, affirmed that the party would comply with its constitution provision of direct primaries to select candidate for the election.

He added that the party will not derail from its constitutional provision of direct primary and it would be adopted to select candidate for the bye-election.

Ayomide ,who described the ADP as a credible political party that gives a level playing ground for all its aspirants will not circumvent it’s laid down constitution in picking candidate to fly its flag in any election.