Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, and of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Gbenga Edema, engaged in a confrontation on Saturday at BON hotel in Akure over the distribution of election materials for the party’s primary.
Ododo, serving as the chairman of the seven-member committee overseeing the Ondo APC governorship primary, found himself embroiled in a heated argument with Edema at the venue.
As party members convened at the hotel, Edema confronted Ododo, asserting that election materials were supposed to be dispersed to various wards across the state.
According to Edema, Ovie Omo-Agege, the secretary of the primary election committee, had stated that “accreditation will start by 10 am, to be completed by 1 pm while voting proper will start by 1 pm and end by 2 pm”.
Expressing his displeasure, Edema accused the committee led by Ododo of violating the established protocols for the exercise.
In response, Governor Ododo clarified that election materials had already been dispatched to wards in the North and South senatorial districts of the state.
He stated, “I came in this morning as early as past eight for this national assignment to humanity. You claim that there has never been material issued to any of the 203 wards. From the brief I have gotten from the secretary of this APC primary election, that of the north and south have been released since morning. And it remains that of the central, which is what we have been trying to sort out.”
In countering Ododo’s claim, Edema emphasized that his ward is situated in the state’s south senatorial district and raised concerns about the unavailability of voting materials. He stated, “I’m from Ilaje LGA. [Voting material] has not been sent there. How did it arrive there? Through what medium? I have been here by 6:30 am. I am one of the aspirants. The returning officer who ought to collect material for my ward, Mahin Ward II, in the Ilaje local government area, is here and unable to collect any materials. He has been here since seven o’clock. No material was given to him.”