Ahead of Saturday’s Ondo governorship primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party has said that no fewer than 171, 922 delegates would elect its candidate for the November governorship election.

National Organizing Secretary of the party, Alhaji Muhammad Arugungu, stated this during the inauguration of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The delegates are the duly certified party members drawn from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments.

Arugungu said the party arrived at the figure after a revalidation exercise of the party membership which brought the figure down to 171, 922 from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Certified True Copy of 173, 181 membership register.

He said: “We have received a Certified True Copy CTC from INEC showing 173,181 membership while our revalidation came down to 171, 922”.

Inaugurating the committees, the party’s National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said after the completion of the assignment of the seven-man election committee, the appeal committee must listen to complaints and attend to them.

“If there is any disagreement, then the appeal committee will listen and that is part of internal democracy which we have to abide by as provided by our constitution.

“Members of this committee have been selected based on their experiences and integrity.

“The primary election committee is chaired by no other person by our new governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” he stated.

Ganduje, who noted that controversies are an integral part of democracy, urged the primary election committee to be focused and highly organized in discharging its mandate.

He said: “Controversy is a whole department in a democracy and you cannot have a 100 per cent peaceful exercise but you are equal to the task. I expect you to be focused, to be highly organized and to be vigilant.

“We have contacted relevant stakeholders including security agencies and they have assured us of a peaceful environment”.

Responding, Ododo who was represented by his deputy, Joel Salihu, expressed his commitment to the task ahead.

“If there is any job not to be done, it must not be the one sent by Mr President and the National Chairman of the party and the party itself. Any work I am sent to do must be done.

“I have agreed to collaborate with all the committee members to produce the best candidate for Ondo gubernatorial election and in so doing I will abide by the principle, doctrine and constitution of our great party”.

The election committee, headed by Ododo has former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege to serve as the Secretary of the Primary Election Committee.

Other members are Sen. Lekan Mustapha; Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuoso; Chief Meg Duru; former Oyo Deputy Governor Iyiola Oladokun and Dr. Sani Danjuma.

The party also inaugurated a five-man Primary Election Appeal Committee headed by former Bauchi Governor, Mohammed Abubakar.

The five-man Mohammed Abubakar Appeal Committee has Chief Obiocha Israel as Secretary while other members are: Jamilu Isiyiaka Gwamna, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon and Mr. Onyeka Okafor.

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