30th November, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
An House of Assembly aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Congress, APC in Ogun state, Hon. Olusola Enitan from Ewekoro local government area has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC over what he described as an attempt to frustrate him out of the race.
In a petitioin written to the State Resident Electoral Commission, REC, which our correspondent obtained from an inside source, the APC aspirant condemned the steps taken by some party leaders, calling on the security agencies to intervene urgently to avoid breakdown of law and order.
The document which was dated 28 November 2014 which copied the Director, SSS; State Commissioner of Police, INEC Chairman and the Ewekoro electoral officer stated that he has received an information of a ploy by some people who have constituted themselves into instrument of intimidation, coercion, threats and blackmail.
He averred that part of the plot is to attack any delegate who fails to vote for the incumbent member representing the area, Hon. Israel Olujobi Jolaoso, who is the Majority leader of the House.
The statement read: “…designed and printed ballots different from what is known in the history of INEC. They have constituted themselves instrument of intimidation, coercion, threats and blackmail.
“That ballots bearing the names, offices and status of each ward executive and voting delegates which has been printed by them on the fake ballot, contrary to the constitution of the party and election guidelines which guarantees secret ballot.
The statement further read: “That five monitors from each ward be chosen to superintend the votes of all other delegates. That those who do not show the ballots to the monitor should be attacked physically and removed from their offices in the party.
“That all the delegates should vote for a particular aspirant, Israel Olujobi Jolaoso or else, their security cannot be guaranteed,” the statement read.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that the internal crisis rocking the ruling APC in the state may boomerang after Monday primaries of the party.
Findings revealed that the screening of the House of Assembly aspirants which was conducted last week Wednesday and Thursday ended in a deadlock as all the aspirants refused to step down as suggested by the governor.
Sources at the meeting confirmed to our correspondent that the meeting yielded no result and that it divided the party.
According to the source, “After the screening, the governor called for a meeting with all the aspirants. He broke the meeting into four. The elders and leaders of the party were in one room, aspirants for the House of Representatives in another place, that of the Senate in another and the Assembly members numbering 168 were in another.
“When he met with the elders and leaders, he told them to appeal to some of us who are contesting against the 13 lawmakers which he intends to return to the House.
“The leaders tried to persuade some of us but we refused and the signal was sent across and before we could say anything, the matter spread across the state and our supporters have urged us not to step down,” the source told PM News.
When the governor met with House of Assembly aspirants pleaded with them to tread softly, and not to approach the primary exercise as a do or die affair.
It was also gathered that the governor requested for an automatic slot for the 13 members of the House who are loyal to him, admitting that, they might not be better candidates than the others.
According to the governor during the meeting with the aspirants, he said, “I instructed the leaders to talk to you, we must know who is contesting and be sure that he is not funded by an opposition party to come and cause disaffection in our party. We are in an unusual moment, things have been very rough in the House and the 13 members have been my stabilising factor.
“We have a platform that is good enough and should not do anything that will scatter the party. There can only be one person but the process of selection must be transparent. I signified that I will like that those who are there to continue,especially, the 13 members. Yes, I understand that they may not have done better than all of you here.
“I’m not supporting them because they will leave the party but because the dynamism made it so. I will be unhappy to see one person leaving the party, its unpleasant. I will speak with the Chairmen of those local government areas and encourage everyone. The Assembly is important for the party in the stability of the State. God will guide all of us,”Amosun submitted.
After the meeting, PM News gathered that eight of the aspirants asked various questions bothering on the likely outcome of the exercise.
The governor, as reliably gathered by our correspondent directed all the aspirants to go back to their various local government and meet with their leaders and elders to sort the issue out.
It was further gathered that the governor openly declared that three of the principal officers in the House,Speaker,Deputy Speaker and the Majority Leader of the House are keen to the governor,pleading to all aspirants from that areas to step down for the three lawmakers to return to the House.
As at the time of filing this report, our correspondent can reliably report that caucus meetings were ongoing across the local government as investigation revealed that aggrieved aspirants may defect to other political parties after Monday’s primary for the House of Assembly members.
When our correspondent contacted Hon. Sola Enitan, who wrote the petition INEC, he declined to comment on the matter, saying, “this is an internal issue and we will sort things among ourselves, so don’t ask me any question concerning it,” Enitan responded.