Ribadu, Bafarawa, Seidu Malami Vie for ACN Ticket tomorrow

THE fate of three presidential aspirants of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) will be known tomorrow at the party’s special convention slated for Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

The aspirants are former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, erstwhile governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, and Malam Seidu Malami.

The trio appeared before the seven-member presidential screening committee headed by Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, which scrutinised their credentials on Tuesday in Abuja.

Other members of the panel were Prof. Ibrahim Na-Iya Sada, Prof. Yakubu Muktar, Dr. Chudi Nwike, Pastor Osagie Iyamu, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, who served as the secretary.

In a statement issued on the presidential primaries in Abuja yesterday, ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, said all the national delegates, who emerged from its just-conducted ward, local councils and state congresses of the party will vote to elect the party’s presidential candidate.

Already, Publisher of Ovation magazine, Ayobamidele Momodu, has emerged the presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP).

In a convention held yesterday at the Hotel 1960 in Ikeja, Lagos, he polled 169 of the total 196 votes cast by delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Abuja to beat two other aspirants, Chief Atei David Beredugo, 14 votes and Martin Onovo (eight) to emerge the winner.

The party’s National Chairman, Mr. Femi Falana, who announced the result, said that the party had made history worthy of emulation by conducting free and transparent election.

Akande said the presidential screening panel has concluded its job, using the following criteria: educational qualification, vision, integrity, based on past records and experience, leadership experience, political consistency, contribution to the growth of the party (financial and otherwise).

Others are international exposure and reputation, public perception and marketability, inter-personal skills and charisma as well as familiarity with and commitment to party ideology.

According to him, the position of the ACN is that the aspirants must score above 50 per cent in the screening exercise to qualify for the primary.

He said steps had been taken by the party’s leadership to ensure a hitch-free convention, and appealed to ACN supporters to comply with the rules of the game.
The party chief listed such ethos as decency, integrity, transparency and non-violence.

Also yesterday, Mohammed (ACN spokesman) was quoted as saying that its national leaders had set up a five-man panel to conduct the cancelled Ekiti Central Senatorial District primary election today.

The state chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, who announced the plan yesterday, had on Monday cancelled the election over alleged irregularities.

Meanwhile, four aspirants in Ekiti North Senatorial District yesterday called for the annulment of the primaries won by Mr. Bunmi Adetumbi for lack of credibility.

The aspirants are Basorun Babatunde Odetola, Bayo Adetifa, Mr. Segun Osinkolu and Prince Akin Olayisade. They said their demand was informed by their discovery that the exercise contravened the guidelines and the tenets of democracy.
They maintained that Adetumbi was imposed on them, adding that no election known to law was conducted in the January 10 senatorial primaries in the district.

Another aspirant in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu, said he was not responsible for the violence that led to the cancellation of the election. He added that he had no link with the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the state, Mr. Niyi Adedipe, who allegedly masterminded the attack on Awe on Tuesday.
Ojudu told reporters in Ado Ekiti yesterday that it was unfortunate he was being linked with the OPC leader, whom Awe claimed was responsible for the attack on the ACN Secretariat on Tuesday.
At a separate press conference in the state capital, spokesperson of the aggrieved aspirants, Adetifa, alleged that the caretaker chairmen in the five councils in
the district intimidated the four aspirants and brazenly rigged the election in favour of Adetumbi.
While exonerating Fayemi of complicity in the electoral malfeasance, Adetifa cautioned the government officials against dragging the name of the governor into the mud, adding that Fayemi had been fair to all aspirants.
He appealed to Akande to accede to their request and nullify the election for equity, fairness and justice in the party.

In Edo State, the late arrival of voting materials almost marred the ACN primaries into various elective positions held across the state yesterday. Anxious party members became apprehensive when at 3 p.m., materials were yet to arrive for the exercise scheduled for 10 a.m.
Violence was reported in Irrua and Ekpoma in Edo Central Senatorial District while in Ubiaja, Uromi, Igueben were calm as party officials were being awaited.

In some parts of Edo North, no ugly incident was reported even though party members expressed concern over the delay in the arrival of voting materials.

In Igarra, the headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Council, materials got to the area about 3.30 p.m.

The party officials said the delay was “deliberate” as they were not given materials until all logistic arrangements were concluded to ensure that there was no manipulation.

At the time of filing this report, party members were awaiting accreditation while some supporters of the aspirants were still into last minute campaigns for their principals.
The reported free for all in Irrua and Ekpoma was allegedly caused by the last minute “lobbying” by aspirants.

The fighting was alleged to have started when one of the aspirants, through an agent, distributed money to the voters. The fighting took place at Equare Primary School, Ekpoma and Ewonogie Primary School at irrua.
In Benin City, there was calm in all the areas visited as party members waited for the arrival of material.

Primaries for the state House of Assembly and the National Assembly were taking place simultaneously.

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