Kunle Adelabu
One of the aspirants for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Olakunle Alliasau Matti, has rejected the outcome of the shadow election conducted to pick a sole aspirant that will represent the Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election later this month.
The election was conducted by the party leadership in the council on Saturday, April 30, 2022, with nine aspirants who are vying for the post from Ijede.
At the end of the shadow poll, Mr Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA) was declared the winner with 22 votes while Mr Matti was announced to have garnered 9 votes and the former Council Chairman, Hon. Salisu Fathiu Jimoh scoring 17 votes.
In an official statement titled, ‘APC ‘Shadow’ Primary In Ijede Is A Show Of Shame’, and signed by Matti, he described as a show of shame and retrogressive to the political development of Ijede LCDA which he added, may affect the party.
He alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities.
The statement is reproduced below:
APC ‘SHADOW’ PRIMARY IN IJEDE IS A SHOW OF SHAME
“As a veteran and stakeholder of the modern politics in Ijede, especially since 1996 to date; From AD, AC,ACN and APC, not just as a member of the party but with records of carrying out countless state assignments for the party since 2001 to the recent 2021, l, hereby, express my displeasure and disagreement over the fraudulent process of vote buying and using the party structure to buy delegates for an aspirant who contested against our party at the last general elections in 2019 under the banner of PDP and who have not publicly decamped to our party to be paraded as the flag bearer of the party in Ijede. This is unacceptable. I don’t even know him as our member until about a week ago when he was introduced as a co-aspirant at a meeting of aspirants called by the party.
“I joined the race to contest for the Assembly seat, not for personal interest but honestly in the interest of the party and Ijede LCDA. I see it as an opportunity to express and display patriotism and loyalty to my party, APC, and my beloved voiceless people of Ijede.
“The Saturday 30th purportedly “shadow’ primary was a show of shame, lack of patriotism, self serving and retrogressive to the political development of Ijede LCDA and may affect the image of our party.
“I do not accept the outcome of the election because it was fraught with irregularities and it was not in the interest of the party neither was it in the interest of the people of Ijede LCDA.
“To the patriotic Ijede people and my loyal APC members, we shall seek justice against the fraudulent exercise.
“Let me use this medium to thank the 9 delegates who shunned the influence of money and demonstrate loyalty to the party as the true winners in this contest.
“You are worthy ambassador of our group (the Justice Forum) and true party faithful”, the statement added.
