Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State on Friday adopted consensus candidates for the May 12 local government election in the state.
They adopted the option of consensus candidates for the election through an indirect primary held at Lafia Hotels, Ibadan, on Friday.
Those adopted included the chairmen, vice-chairmen and councillors in 33 local governments and Local Council Development Areas.
The event was attended by stakeholders from ward to state level, party leaders as well as elected state and national officers.
The APC had stated that the adoption of consensus was in line with Section 20A Subsection 1,2, 3 and 4 of the party’s constitution.
Chief Akin Oke and Mr Mojeed Olaoya, the party’s State Chairman and Secretary respectively, in separate remarks, stated that the adoption of consensus was the decision of stakeholders after aggrieved members of the party were appeased.
Gov. Abiola Ajimobi also urged members to sustain the peaceful co-existence and unity that had helped the party over the years, saying APC could only be defeated through acrimony and disunity.
Ajimobi said the crisis due to factions in the party had long been addressed, adding that ` the issue of some members being loyal to me or those being loyal to the late former Gov. Lam Adeshina had been long addressed during a unity meeting.”
The governor said stakeholders had agreed that three names be submitted from each local government from where the eventual candidate was selected.
He dismissed claims of imposition of candidates, saying the party had ensured that the best were selected through thorough scrutiny.
Ajimobi, who urged the candidates to promote service to humanity, expressed confidence that the local government poll would end up a huge success.
“Let us thank God for ensuring that we had a peaceful outing. You will see that most party primaries have always been very rancorous but in our own case, it is very peaceful.
“This is in line with the constitution of our party, particularly if you look at page 74 section 20A, sub-section 1,2,3,4 which clearly states that the party can have either a direct primary or an indirect primary.
“A direct primary meaning that all party members would assemble in a designated place where they will vote for the candidates of their choice.
“The indirect allows elected members of the party from the wards to the various levels of the party organs to vote.
“You can have them as a collegiate group and they become the delegates to participate and vote at a designated location for candidates of their choice and that is what we have done today,” he said.
The governor stated that the party had been able to bring in all elected party members as well as assembly and National Assembly members. We also have those at the local government ward level.
“We had what you call consensus in which we listed the names of all the candidates and we asked for the support of the delegates and they agreed. You could see that all the delegates were all happy.
“We are happy because we took the right steps that should have been taken, with wide consultations. We consulted the party leaders, women, youth groups and all the stakeholders and we had what we call the consensus candidates.
“As we are, there is no party that can defeat us except we defeat ourselves. And we felt all those who are aggrieved must sit together and talk; that was what led to this,’’ he said. (NAN)
