Ondo 2016: Baited breath as Ondo APC elects flagbearer

It was a keen contest yesterday, when the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), waited to know who among the five frontline aspirants would

They are Mr Rotimi Akeredole, Prof. Robert Ajay Borrofice, Mr Olusola Oke, Mr Segun Abraham and Senator Tayo Alasoadura.

At the time of going to press, counting of votes in the election, which held at the Internattional Conference Centre in Akure, was ongoing, but one of the five was likely to emerge.

Earlier, the primary was nearly marred by logistic problems, which delayed the accreditation of delegates.

The accreditation earlier scheduled to begin at 8.00am did not start until 10am in the three-accreditation centres, thus extending the voting till 4:40pm.

Chairman of the party’s primaries and governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar re-affirmed that the process would be free, fair and transparent. He dispelled all fears that any undue external influence could scuttle the wish of the people.

Security operatives in their scores, from the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ensured maximum security at the venue of the election and the accreditation centres.

For instance, at Ess Bee Guest House, the centre for the southern district delegates, the exercise did not start until about 10am because the personnel and materials for the district were mistakenly deployed to another centre

Also, the list of Iju-Oke/Iju-Odo Erekiti Ward was missing while the name of the district Women Leader, Mrs Toyin Ajinde was missing from the register. The intervention of the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Abayomi Adesanya, who identified Mrs Ajinde saved the situation.

Voting, however, commenced around 12:30pm at the International Event Centre, Dome, Akure, where the delegates were transported to vote in batches as soon as they finished their accreditation from their various centres.

The voting process was well organised, as every delegate, after last verification, left the hall immediately they cast their votes.

There was an array of 22 boxes guarded by security operatives, which each voter was expected to drop his vote after thumb-printing.

Less than 24 hours before the primary, four of the aspirants namely: Mr. Derin Adesida, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Mr. Akinyinka Akinnola and Mr. Dele Alade, stepped down from the race and join forces with Dr. Olusegun Abraham, whose earlier endorsement by the National Leader, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, caused some internal rumples within the party.

The peaceful atmosphere at the voting centre was, however, disrupted by sporadic gunshots, following disagreement between the two detachment of security operatives.