A Coalition of Civil Society Groups under the auspices of ‘Nigerian Ambassadors For Good Governance’ (NAGG) has described the failure of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to conduct a credible primary election to choose the party Flagbearer for the June 18, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State as disturbing and a great danger for Democracy.

The Group in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, said “what is being referred to as the APC primary Election in Ekiti State on Jan. 27, 2022 is nothing but a sham, fraud and undemocratic arrangement that must be jettisioned in the overall interest of Democracy in Nigeria.

The Chairman, Evalution, Research and Election Monitoring of the Group Dr. Isola Adetoun, alleged that the shoddy preparations of the State Chapter of the Party was responsible for the ugly development that led to the withdrawal of Seven out of Eight governorship Aspirants before the commencement of the Exercise.

The tension created through sporadic shooting across the State by some alleged supporters of the alleged government ‘annointed’ Candidate Mr. Biodun Oyebanji in the early hours of the day of “a supposed family arrangement” called primary Election was enough to discourage other Aspirants from taking part in such Election.

The Group described the time of the Stakeholders’ meeting at the instance of the “Ekiti 2022 APC National Primary Electoral Committee” headed by the Governor of Jigawa State, Alh. Badaru Abubakar as not only short but another game plan to perpetrate electoral fraud in favour of a particular aspirant.

NAGG described the APC Primary Election in Ekiti State as a dent on the electoral reforms of president Muhammadu Buhari and urged the President to call Gov. Fayemi to order as a way of returning democratic norms within the APC in Ekiti State.

Also, the Ekiti Transparency and Accountability Group ETAG, in a Statement signed by its Director General, Dr. Adetoye Ajibola, says the redefining of Democracy by Dr. Fayemi and his Cabals in Ekiti State from the popular definition of “Government of the People, by the People and for the People to a Government of the few, by the few and for the few must be corrected through appropriate sanction by the leadership of the Party, if APC must win further elections in Ekiti State and Nigeria as a whole.

The APC kangaroo Primary Election in Ekiti State which saw among other things a situation where some Supporters of the government annointed Candidate Mr. Biodun Oyebanji had to use posters of other Seven Aspirants to cover their faces so that, it will look as if they also participated in the exercise was an height of ignobility and indignity of the State Government.

The inclusion of some Appointees of the Governor and other elected Politicians on the list of returning Officers for the exercise was a delibrate insult on the sensibility of other Aspirants who are more popular than Oyebanji.

The likes of a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affiars, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, Special Adviser on general Duties, Mr. Ayo Adegbite, a Member House of Assembly, Hon. Lateef Akanle, Special Adviser on Rural Development Mr. Folorunso Olabode, Special Adviser on General Duties and Mr. Ayo Adegbite among others were positioned on the list to do the dirty jobs for the emergence of Oybanji at all cost.

These are the People who had openly campaigned for Oyebanji and at the same time, Members of the Campaign Apex Committee for the same Aspirant.

The Group however saluted the courage and audacity of the Seven other Aspirants to include; Rt.Hon. Femi Bamisile, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Engr. Kayode Ojo, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, Arole Oba. Olu Afolabi and Otunba Dapo Popoola to lead peaceful protests with their Supporters in thousands.

The maturity displayed by the Aspirants to ensure that no life is lost because of their ambitions despite the provocation by the State Government and its Agents is second to none and commendable.