Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the appointment of a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, to chair the party’s reconciliation committees for Edo and Ondo States respectively.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, in a statement issued Tuesday, said that their appointments were in line with the process of true reconciliation among leaders and members of the party at all levels, announced by the committee led by its Chairman and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.
He said that members of the Edo State Reconciliation Committee included Nnamani as the Chairman, Minister of Works Babatunde Fashola, Fetus Keyamo, Prof. Tahir Mamman, Mrs. Margaret Okadigbo, Mr. Sanusi Musa as members and Hon. Abdul-Rahman Sumaila as Secretary.
Members of the Ondo State Reconciliation Committee included Bello as Chairman, Senator Adamu Aliero, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, Gambon Magaji, Mr. Jasper Azuwatalum, Hajiya Binta Muazu, Hon. Iquo Inyang and Mr. Shina Pellar as the Secretary.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Ondo State gubernatorial primary election scheduled for July 20, an aspirant on the platform of APC, Mr. Olusola Oke, has called on the party leadership to provide a level playing field for all the aspirants, saying they don’t want the will of the people to be supplanted again.
Oke stated this while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja after submitting his governorship form at the party secretariat.
He said: “The right thing our party must do is to provide a level playing field to operate including the incumbent, be fair to all concern. The episode of the last time where the will of the people was supplanted we don’t want the repeat of it again.
“APC will win election anytime and any day provided we do the right thing and do a primary that will be free and transparent to all concerned. There is no way indirect primaries can take place in Ondo State today. First, there is litigation going on at the executive that was constituted.”
Oke noted that his intervention this time was for two reasons; one is to save APC in Ondo State from sliding into opposition, adding that the second reason was because the expectations of the people have not been met.
According to him, “Despite all the hopes given as a mantra of change, our people are disappointed and in order for them not to vent their anger against our party, I have to step forward as one that is familiar with the terrain. I spent all my life with them, I have been part of their suffering.”
