Many supporters of Mr. Segun Abraham, a leading governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, has registered their displeasure over the outcome of the September 3rd 2016 governorship primary election that produced Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu as the gubernatorial candidate of the party. The supporters in thousands marched through the popular Oba Adesida Street through the Oyemekun road brandishing placards inscribed with different inscription chanting solidarity songs with claims that Mr. Abraham remains the authentic candidate of the party. The Daily Times gathered that Mr. Abraham’s supporters, which included the youths, and elders who are loyalists of the APC were drawn from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state as they rallied their support for bereaved governorship aspirant during the procession. Armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, the supporters criticized the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) especially members of the National Working Committee (NWC) for abiding with the alleged fraud that was perpetrated during the party’s governorship primary election on September 3rd 2016. They disclosed that the Three-Member Primary Election Appeal Committee headed by Mrs. Helen Bedenga had recommended that the poll, which produced Mr. Akeredolu be cancelled and ordered for a fresh election that would be transparent to all the aspirants but wondered why the NWC refused to heed the call. The supporters also queried why the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun would overruled the decision of the appeal committee and submit Mr. Akeredolu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for rectification despite crisis rocking the party over the alleged fraud perpetrated during the party’s primary poll. Rotimi Agbede, a die-hard supporter of Mr. Abraham told journalists during the procession that the various fraud detected during and after the primary election has further brought the national image of the party into disrepute. Agbede, specifically blamed the party’s leadership for the current impasse rocking the internal mechanism of the party as the November 26th governorship election draws nearer. “We find this rally necessary, following the undemocratic manner with which our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun singlehandedly voted against the recommendation of the Appeal Committee that presented a chance to right the wrongs and give true democracy a deserved chance in Ondo APC. “It is to this end that we say “NO” to injustice, we say “NO” to a fraudulent primary; that we, the majority of the Ondo APC will not accept and embrace a padded outcome. “Our members are expecting a swift and favorable resolution from ongoing deliberations within the layers of the party internal mechanism that will represent the true position our members”, he said. Kemi Adeola, one of the disenfranchised delegates during the governorship primary election from Akoko North East local government areas of the state said the demands of the supporters was a common stance that the leadership of the party cannot afford to cover a fraud with another fraud. “Our position is firm, we are against the flawed process that produced Akeredolu, it does not represent our true position as at all as the fake delegates negatively influenced the outcome. “All we are saying is that the Ondo APC stands for Justice, that Ondo APC rejects Oyegun’s undemocratic decision, that the National Leadership of the APC should hear our demand for Justice, and our true votes must be allowed to count”, she stated. Adesoji Adesoji, who took part in the rally tasked the national leadership of the party to do the right thing by upholding the annulment of the fraud-ridden primary in order to allow the true mandate of the party members get represented. Earlier, there was a heavy clash between the supporters of Mr. Abraham and Rotimi Akeredolu during the procession as many were attacked and injured while the fracas lasted for several hours. The Daily Times correspondent gathered that some hoodlums allegedly sympathetic to Mr. Akeredolu stormed the street of the procession and unleash terror on the peaceful supporters who were also armed with posters. The hoodlums were said to have been armed with cutlass and axe while they machete key loyalists of Mr. Abraham and destroyed some branded campaign vehicles during the fracas. It took security agencies tough time before normalcy could return to the scene of the action as petty traders and road users on the Oyemekun road scampered for Safety. However, addressing his supporters, Mr. Abraham who condemned the attack and explained that he won the September 3rd primary election and would reclaim his mandate either by all legal means. He said that choosing any other candidate through a fraudulent means would spell doom for the opposition party ahead of the November 26th governorship election in the state. The APC leading governorship aspirant stated a chosen candidate through fraudulent means should not be trusted with governance, as their administration would further worsen the present economic and financial crises facing the state “It was a peaceful rally asking for our mandate to be restored and not to be delayed. All of a sudden, the Aketi (Akeredolu) people were brought in and attacked the people. ‘“The difference between the legal votes and the illegal votes is 34. It is not all about me, but at this level we think we should work together so that we can rescue our state. I am afraid that we don’t replace PDP with another PDP government. “This crowd has also shown clearly and I believe that the powers that be would also listen to the crowd because these are the people that will vote, unless they don’t want their votes. And that is a recipe for failure. I don’t pray for our party to fail.” Mr. Abraham said.

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