From Abiola Alo, Ado Ekiti
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All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Ekiti State, Senator Ayodele Arise, yesterday withdrew from the senatorial seat contest over the indirect method adopted by the party in the state for its primaries.
Arise, a former National Assembly member, who said it was practically impossible to mobilise delegates for the shadow election in less than 24 hours, having prepared for direct primaries for over two months, kicked against indirect primaries election format, saying it would not produce true reflection of the people’s wish.
Despite the fact that APC National Working Committee (NWC) had directed Ekiti State APC to conduct the election through direct mode, the party in the state on Tuesday adopted indirect mode, citing security reason – a decision which some aspirants are protesting.
Addressing journalists at his Oye Ekiti home town, Arise, who was seeking ticket for Ekiti North Senatorial District, reiterated the fact that he was not desperate for office, saying: “I believe sincerely that as democrats, we should continue to develop the system. We should not take steps that are retrogressive. Let us take steps that will deepen democracy.
“We have said that the delegates’ mode doesn’t produce popular candidates. Delegates’ mode doesn’t reflect the popular wish of the people”.
The former federal lawmaker, however, said he remained a committed member of the party in spite of the reservations expressed about the adoption of indirect primaries.
Arise also said he would continue to work with other leaders of the party in the state to ensure the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 2019 presidential election.
He said: “I am not desperate to run for the Senate. I had engaged the governor-elect on my ambition several times before now.
“Before February next year, we hope to resolve all issues arising from the primaries and come back together to work for the success of our party in the 2019 general elections,” he said.
