A youth group within the ruling All Progressives Congress in Akoko North West state constituency 2 has rejected the selection of Gbenga Araoyinbo as the consensus candidate for the vacant House of Representatives seat in Akoko North East/ Akoko North West Federal constituency, saying the process of selection was fraudulent.
Recall that the leaders of the state constituency reportedly picked Araoyinbo as it’s candidate on Friday. The youths in a press statement have said the decision is a nullity and will not stand.
Apart from condemning the process of selection, the youths noted that Araoyinbo also comes from a town that has occupied the Rep seat twice.
The statement fully read:
AN ILLEGAL CONSENSUS OF SOME LEADERS OF CONSTITUENCY 2
The process of the primary election can be either direct or indirect. Some leaders of the consistency gathered at the house of a former representative member who happens to be from Irun Akoko.
This consensus was conducted with a selected few who have tarnished their images and have highly questionable track records.
However, this arrangement is not recognized or accepted by the party. It is neither a shadow nor primary election.
There are several reasons why this consensus is not accepted:
1. There is no presence of the state executive committee.
2. There is no local government presence.
3. There is no information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
4. It has been reported that some party participants have already been influenced and bought from Abuja, with the intention of having a weak candidate from our constituency.
5. The former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Gani Dauda, has been involved in conducting illegal elections in the past. He does not have the proper authority to conduct such elections, and this particular consensus election was held at a contestant’s house.
6. Only Constituency 2 conducted elections using the consensus method, while candidates in Constituency 1, such as Hon. Ife Ehindero and Hon. Olusa Muyiwa, did not use the consensus approach.
7. It should be noted that a meeting was held at the residence of the anointed candidate, indicating a potential hidden agenda.
8. Certain leaders held private meetings before the main meeting. Leaders like Calistus Afe and Gani Dauda.
9. The process despite the fact it was highly illicit, it was mere with irregularities, where the unpire who supposed to be neutral, voted for his anointed candidate, Hon. Araoyinbo what an unfair and unjust unpire. All these are not acceptable and we can never trust the crop of leaders in the so called meeting that bathed the consensus of the said candidate.
10. A process that never had even distribution of delegates or representatives from the constituency 4 wards.
Where some leaders of the party were fenced out without knowing anything about the choice and they hurriedly anointed a candidate through a gruesome kangaroo election that lack credibility.
11. The so called anointed candidate was once invited to Abuja for a talk on how to present a weakling candidate for our constituency, who equally was given 1m as transport fair back home, this speaks volume on the kind of candidature of honorable in question.
12. To worsen the situation, if such arrangement should be made or such election be conducted and decided its should be within the constituency. Unfortunately, it was done out of the constituency.
It is cristal clear that this consensus election is fraudulent and lacks the necessary approvals and authority. The party should take appropriate action to address these concerns and ensure a fair and transparent election process.
The way this so called leaders are endangering the future of our constituency is disgusting. A leader should be able to speak volumes for the benefit of his constituency rather than selling our future in Abuja. It’s high time we say nob to the agenda of Hon Sokoto and this money minded people. And bringing it to the notice of people that’s Hon Gbenga Araoyinbo know as Sokoto and He’s agenda to weaken our collective sovereignty.
Courtesy of:
Constituency 2 concerned youth movement
