Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta

The Ogun state chapter of the All progressives Congress has postponed the primaries to select candidates for the House of Assembly elections from Monday to Tuesday.

Sources close to an emergency meeting of aspirants called by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, said the governor wanted the primaries to hold on Tuesday,partly to sympathise with the victims of Kano Central Mosque bomb blasts and also to enable the party organise a ‘seamless’ primary election for all the aspirants.

The governor’s stance followed acrimonies by some aspirants, who accused him of trying to return 13 incumbent members of the House of Assembly, shunning factors such as the popularity and acceptability of the incumbents in their home constituencies.

The governor’s position, which also affects other elective offices, has continued to trigger crisis within the party.

An aspirant for the House of Representatives, Yewa South/Ipokia constituency, Abayomi Semako Hunye has dumped the APC for the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

Hunye from Ipokia local government is the Commissioner 2 in the State Local Government Commission.

Hunye aspired to pick the ticket for the federal House of Representatives slot for the area,but Governor Amosun was accused of favouring a former cabinet member of his administration, Mr. Kunle Akinlade, former special adviser on tax.

At present another Akinlade, Isiaq Akinlade has held the seat since 2003. The latter hails from Owode, while the new Akinlade is from Agosasa area from Ipokia local government area.

Isiaq Akinlade is now a member of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP in Ogun State.

In a related development, some aggrieved ward Chairmen from Ipokia local government area of Ogun State have warned the State governor,Senator Ibikunle Amosun over their marginalisation in the choice of candidate for the Assembly seat.

The petition was signed by the four chairmen of the Idiroko constituency in Ipokia local government area of the State.

“…for us in Idiroko constituency to work seriously in the forthcoming election,we needed to encourage our party faithful and public with an elective office.Out of all the aspirant a for the two offices,we have only two aspirants from Idiroko constituency.

“One for House of Representatives and one for State House of Assembly. For justice and equity and better calculations towards winning the forthcoming elections,one out of the two must come to us in Idiroko constituency,”the statement read.

Meanwhile Governor Amosun met all the House of Assembly aspirants in the State in Abeokuta, the State capital today.

Checks at the MITROS hall located inside the Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta,leaders,elders and aspirants were seen arriving for the emergency meeting.

Some of the aspirants who spoke at the venue declared that they are fully ready for the primary and will not accept anything less than that.

“Why should we be seen as playing the game outside the rule,we are all out to serve our people and the way some of the leaders are doing,if not checkmated,may affect the governor, because I can confirm to you that,we have got wind of the plans of some elders and leaders to impose candidates in some local government areas.

“I want to tell you that if such happened,we will not participate in tomorrow’s primary and we shall all move out an masse with our people from the party. Don’t bother to ask where we are going,till then,just be watching. Anything aside free and fair primaries tomorrow, I don’t know what will happen,but we are pity for the governor,he has done perfectly well but these leaders are not helping him but are out for their selfish interest,only,if the governor could see it,”some of the aspirants declared anonymously.