Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State has refuted claims that the Ondo state governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Saturday was marred with violence and irregularities.
We reports that the ruling party conducted its primary election to choose its flagbearer for the Ondo governorship election on November 16, 2024.
Some governorship aspirants have called for the cancellation of the primary election and alleged that the process was allegedly marred with violence and manipulation of the list of electoral officers.
The aspirants also alleged that their supporters were assaulted by suspected thugs and electoral officers did not take election materials to certain voting centres.
However, in a statement by his spokesman, Ismaila Isah, Governor Ododo, who is the chairman of the Electoral Committee that supervised the exercise, said the primary election was credible and transparent.
Ododo said the delay in the distribution of election materials has no adverse effect on the conduct of the election and is not a move to disenfranchise some members.
The Kogi governor added that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the election.
He urged aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a “contest among brothers and sisters in one family”.
The statement reads: “I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footage.
“I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November 2024 governorship election in the state.”
The Kogi governor also commended stakeholders and APC members in the Sunshine State over the conduct of the election.