Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

Twenty-six candidates of the House of Assembly of  the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ogun State, have called on the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, to respect the outcome of the legislative primaries and submit their names to the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

The candidates, who declared that  they were respectively announced as winners by Col. Ali Chiroma (rtd.) led National Working Committee (NWC) election panel during October 7 primary exercise, said the party refused to issue them INEC Form (CF001) to beat the INEC deadline of submission of their particulars on Friday, November 2.

Briefing newsmen on Monday at the NUJ Press Center, Abeokuta on behalf of the candidates, Segun Idowu from Remo North State Constituency, said they were alarmed when Oshiomhole announced on a national television network on Friday that the party had submitted names of candidates to INEC.

Idowu, explained further that the candidates intensified enquiries at the State Secretariat of the party, only to learn from the state party chairman, Derin Adebiyi, on Saturday, November 3, that the National Director of Organization if APC was requesting names of the candidates, 24 hours after the expiration of the deadline.

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While appealing to Nigerians to impress it upon Oshiomhole to respect the mandates freely given to them by APC members in the state,  Idowu, said they would not defect from the party, but remain to fight for justice and reclaim their mandate.

“The primary elections took place in all the 236 wards of Ogun State. The peaceful and transparent elections were televised live on national television platforms of the Nigeria Television Authority, Channels Television, among others.  At the completion of the exercise, the results of the elections were accordingly announced by the chairman.

“The 26 of us here present were announced as winners in  our respective state constituencies by Col. Chiroma-led election committee. We are therefore alarmed when the national chairman of the party announced national television network on Friday, November 2, that the party had submitted names of candidates to INEC.

“We are therefore appealing to Nigerians and all men and women of goodwill, to impress it upon the APC national chairman,  to respect the mandates freely given to us by members of the APC in Ogun State”. Idowu stated.