Three contenders for the House of Representatives ticket in Ojo Federal Constituency, Lagos State, under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), have formally petitioned the party’s national leadership, alleging that no legitimate primary election was conducted and that a candidate was simply imposed.
The aggrieved aspirants, led by Godwin Ezeoke, are calling for the cancellation of the disputed outcome and the organisation of a fresh primary election.
In a petition obtained on Tuesday and addressed to the party’s National Chairman through the National Secretary, Ezeoke claimed that party officials announced a winner even though no primary election took place.
The petition, signed by lawyer C.C. Iloabanafo, described the action as “unprecedented, unlawful, unconstitutional, undemocratic, and arbitrary.”
Ezeoke further alleged that key party officials, including the chairman and secretary, violated the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines by failing to conduct any primary before declaring a candidate.
He warned that the situation could expose the party to legal action, reputational damage, and possible electoral consequences.
According to him, “The declaration of a winner without an election has generated widespread dissatisfaction, tension and distrust among party members within Ojo Federal Constituency.”
Backing the claims, another aspirant, Ifeanyi Okparaugo, stated that no electoral officials were present at the supposed election venue.
“There was no election. I only saw people lining up, but there were no electoral officers on ground. When I made inquiries, I was ignored,” he said.
Okparaugo also alleged that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were absent during the exercise.
A third aspirant, Ola Ogunlana, also insisted that no primary election was conducted.
“If they insist there was an election, they should provide video or photographic evidence because nothing resembling a proper election took place,” he said.
The aspirants further claimed that the venue used for the exercise was financed by one of the contestants rather than the party itself, raising additional concerns about the credibility of the process.
They urged the National Working Committee of the party to nullify the announced result, withdraw recognition from the purported winner, organise a fresh primary, and establish an independent panel to investigate the incident.
In response, the party’s spokesperson, Osa Director, confirmed that a reconciliation committee had been set up to address the crisis.
“We have set up a reconciliation committee. I want that process to extend to the state, local government, and ward levels,” he said.
He acknowledged that not all dissatisfied members had yet been engaged but expressed optimism that the issue would soon be resolved.
“We have not fully brought everyone on board. Within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will do so. We do not want a single person to leave the party because of this matter,” he added.
ADEOLA KUNLE
No comments:
Post a Comment