Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of
Lagos state, has expressed confidence in the ability of the panel conducting
the governorship primary election in the state.
Speaking when he received members
of the panel headed by Clement Ebri, Ambode said he believes that the election
would be free and fair, adding that he would accept the outcome of such
exercise.
He appealed to the committee to
ensure a level playing field for all aspirants in the contest, saying it is
only under such circumstance that democracy is entrenched.
“This is a very star-studded
election team, they are distinguished Nigerians in their individual and
collective rights,” he said.
“There can’t be any better
collection of a team to any state election monitoring in this country than the
distinguished personalities brought to Lagos and it only shows us the important
that the national chairman of our great party attaches to what is happening in
Lagos.
“I must tell you that what you
have taken up, may look like a political assignment, but history is on your
side that at this very moment in the annals of this history of this country,
today marking our 58th Independence anniversary celebration, you are being
called upon to discharge a selfless service that would determine the future of
this country and the greatness of this particular state.
“I receive this election team as
being acceptable and credible to me enough to discharge their civic
responsibility to the best of their abilities and to also to say that whatever
it is that is the outcome of the primaries, your presence has also shown that
this will be credible and this will be acceptable by me.”
The governor recalled that he had
gone through the same process with 12 other aspirants to emerge as governorship
candidate of the APC in 2014.
He said it was not out of place
to have other aspirants contest for the same ticket this time, however, the
eventual process of choosing who flies the party’s flag must be seen to be fair
to all concerned.
“So it’s very clear to me, all I
seek is credible primaries, transparent primaries and level playing ground that
we will all be proud of at the end of the day for the outcome,” he said.
“There were issues that we have
raised that we are also trying to correct. The bottom line is this, we are
family, we must not go into the elections divided because this is the very
first time that our party is controlling the centre and also the state, that is
what I want us to continue.
“The issues that I raise have
been put in form of a letter which I would pass to their chairman and I believe
the committee will look into it judiciously and also I welcome the stakeholders
meeting which will allow you feel the pulse of what is going on in the state.”
He also urged the panel to use
its prerogative to decide the best possible time for the primaries election and
make a public announcement on the time, date and venues of the exercise to
enable members of the party partake in the process.
Earlier, Ebri said the panel
deemed it fit to pay a courtesy visit to the governor as the number one citizen
in the state and to also intimate him on the process for the conduct of the
primaries.
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