Osun APC members reject consensus candidates for LG primary

The primaries organised by the All Progressives Congress in Osun state to pick its candidates in the October 15 local government election on Saturday experienced hitches in some local government areas of the state as party members rejected consensus arrangement.

The excercise however held peacefully in some local government areas where members accepted consensus arrangements.

For instance, in Iwo East Local Council Development Authority, Olomowewe, Iwo, consensus arrangement was adopted in picking both the chairmanship and APC candidates for ward councilors.

The exercise also held successfully in many wards in Boluwaduro Local Government Area where many of the councillorship candidates emerged through consensus arrangement.

But in Inisa, the headquarters of Odo Otin South LCDA, APC members that came out to vote in some units, had to leave, when they were told some leaders were holding meeting to adopt some people as consensus candidates.

In Ila, the headquarters of Ila Local Government Area, the excercise held without hitch at Oke-Ejigbo Ward 3.

There however disagreement and protests in some of the other wards, even though the exercise still held.

In Osogbo South LCDA, the primary did not hold as members that had gathered inside Laro Primary School, Osogbo, rejected consensus arrangement, forcing officials that would oversee the exercise to leave the venue.

Also, in Olorunda Local Government Area, the excercise witnessed hitch as some members attempted to break into the premises of the secretariat in protest over non release of materials for the excercise.

They were, however, dispersed by police personnel deployed to the area.

Efforts to get Media Adviser to the APC chairman, Kola Olabisi, for reaction proved futile, as calls to his line rang out, and he did not respond to the text message sent to him by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.

The Osun State Police Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, in a chat however said, “there were reports of skirmishes in some places, but serious breach was recorded. We are still recieving reports.

“The disagreement involved members of the same party. Some party members also wanted to force their way into Olorunda local government Secretariat, (Igbona), while the exercise was on, but they were dispersed by police. No arrest was made.”