A former minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said he will not take any legal action over the alleged irregularities that marred the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election.
The ex-minister, in a statement on Thursday, said he met with some party leaders and representatives from the 33 local government areas and 351 wards in the state on Wednesday, to review the recent APC nomination exercise in the state.
“This development has effectively produced candidates without the transparent publication of the actual results upon which such nominations were supposedly based,” Mr Adelabu said.
“The concerns arising from this process cut across the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly nominations,” he said.
He decried how names of selected individuals were rather entered on the INEC electronic portal as the party’s candidates without transparency.
Mr Adelabu added that “substantial documentary materials, authenticated collation records and video evidence” raised concern about the irregularities that marred the process and the eventual outcome of the exercise.
“After extensive consultations and careful consideration, I have decided, as a loyal and committed member of the All Progressives Congress, not to pursue an appeal within the party or institute legal proceedings over the process at this time,” Mr Adelabu said.
“I remain a faithful, loyal and committed member of the All Progressives Congress. I am not leaving the party, and my commitment to its progress remains unwavering,” he said.
The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said his decision “was not because of a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction” and should not be “interpreted as an act of surrender or an indication that my aspiration to serve as Governor of Oyo State is a do-or-die affair.”
“I have chosen, in the interest of peace, party stability and the larger future of the APC in Oyo State, not to further escalate the matter through avenues that may deepen existing divisions and undermine the cohesion of our great party,” he stated.
He stated that the APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, openly acknowledged that errors, unfairness and injustice were associated with the primary election process in the state.
He noted that an acknowledgement or apology “cannot and should not substitute for the necessary correction where the opportunity to address the grievances still exists.”
He urged the APC national leadership not to transfer the responsibility for reconciliation to aspirants, but to “restore confidence, rebuild trust and return cohesion and unity to the party” in the state.
“We urge the national leadership of the APC to urgently initiate a comprehensive, sincere and credible reconciliation process that covers all categories of nominations and genuinely engages all affected stakeholders,” the former minister said.
“Loyalty to a political party does not require members to pretend that everything is perfect when genuine concerns exist. True loyalty demands the courage to speak honestly, constructively and responsibly when the need arises,” he stated.
Call to Action:
To stay updated on this and other political developments in Nigeria, please click on the ads you see on our site. Your support helps Nigeria Political Prism deliver quality journalism and in-depth analysis. (NAN)