Ondo: Jimoh Ibrahim Accuses APC of Disenfranchising 40,000 Members After Paying N100m

Ondo: Jimoh Ibrahim Accuses APC of Disenfranchising 40,000 Members After Paying N100m

Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim has raised allegations against the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of disenfranchising over 40,000 members whom he had paid a total of N100 million for their membership validation.

This accusation was made in his petition to the leadership of the party on Tuesday while appealing the results of the Saturday governorship primary election of APC in Ondo State.

Senator Ibrahim outlined four key grounds for challenging the outcome of the exercise. The primary concern highlighted was the party’s non-compliance with its own rules, particularly regarding the payment made for the validation of members.

According to him, the alleged disenfranchisement of a substantial number of party members after they had fulfilled financial obligations has raised serious questions about the transparency and fairness of the exercise.

Other grounds on which the lawmaker  hinged his appeal for cancellation of the election include; non-provision of electoral materials, non-accreditation of agents and gross misconduct.

“This is an appeal to your committee to cancel the Primary election held in Ondo state on 20th April 2024 on the ground that there was no election in the 203 wards, and this is evidenced from the many petitions before your committee as captured on the grounds below.

“Ground One, non-compliance with your rules, I paid the sum of N100m for the validation of over 40 thousand party members and those members were not allowed to be revalidated across Ondo State, this was because no voters register was made available in the wards to which members could be validated

“On ground two no provision of electoral materials electoral materials were provided for the conduct of the election, the local government electoral officials were kept in the hotel during the period of the election for several hours and only result sheets were given to them. The ward electoral officers were provided by one of the aspirants, Lucky Ayedatiwa.

“Ground three non-accreditation of agents. My agents were not accredited in all the wards, and they did not sign the election result sheet since none was made available to them.

“The fourth ground is on gross misconduct. I received in my house in the village, Igbotako at 7 pm on the day of election the local government returning officer and members of his committee. They informed me that they were in my house to capture my vote but I sent them away since my house is not a polling venue. The returning officer said he was instructed from above.

“Based on the four grounds stated above, the election should be cancelled and re-conducted immediately,” he stated.

Another aspirant who submitted a petition against the outcome of the election on Tuesday is Engr. Folakemi Omogoroye.

Recall that the trio of former Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa, a serving House of Representatives member, Hon. Jimi Odimayo and Barrister Gbenga Edema, had on Monday petitioned the party over the outcome of the exercise.

The aspirants kicked against the process of the exercise, noting that the whole process was marred with irregularities and fell short of appreciable standards.

They described the process as an anticlimax, a mockery of democracy, and a complete negation of every known democratic tenet.

Omogoroye in her own case called for the cancellation of the election and urged the appeal committee to order a fresh one, while insisting that the whole process was compromised.

 “I am urging you to cancel the election and order a fresh election in which all the laid down guidelines for a credible election will be followed and a level-playing ground will be assured and ensured for all players in the election.

“Anything short of this is an open endorsement of the robbery of Saturday by the leadership of our party.” the female aspirant affirmed.