Ogun APC primary elections remain under review as party committee delays official declaration of winners

The All Progressives Congress National Assembly Primary Election Committee has said no winner will be officially declared in the recently concluded senatorial primary elections in Ogun State until all appeals and complaints arising from the exercise are reviewed.

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Chairman of the committee, Shaibu Philip, disclosed this during a press conference held at the APC Secretariat in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

Philip explained that although results from various polling units and constituencies had already been collated, the committee was still verifying the outcome of the Ogun APC primary elections in line with party procedures and electoral guidelines.

According to him, the committee would not rush the process until every complaint connected to the exercise had been properly addressed.

“The results that have been collected are currently being verified. We will return to our office before officially declaring a winner,” he said.

“Once all appeals and complaints regarding the results have been addressed, we shall then officially announce and declare the winners of the elections.”

Philip stressed that no candidate would be formally declared victorious until all disputes relating to the primary elections had been resolved.

“No winner will be declared until all result-related appeals have been properly reviewed. We have already communicated this position to everyone involved,” he added.

The committee chairman further stated that members of the APC National Working Committee, alongside state party leaders, monitored the conduct of the elections across constituencies to ensure compliance with party rules and electoral laws.

“The National Working Committee of our party, together with the state leadership, has gone around the state and all the constituencies, overseeing the federal and local government elections.

We are fully committed to the process, and directives have been issued in line with the electoral laws and party guidelines,” he said.

While reeling out results collated from the three senatorial districts, Philip announced Dapo Abiodun, Salisu Afolabi Suaib and Jimoh Ojugbele as winners in Ogun East, Ogun Central and Ogun West respectively.

However, he clarified that the announcements were provisional and based on results gathered from polling units and constituencies, pending final verification by the committee.

Philip also disclosed that a comprehensive report on the Ogun APC primary elections would be submitted to the party leadership before any official declaration is made through the appropriate communication channels.

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The development comes amid heightened political tension within the APC in Ogun State following controversies surrounding the conduct of the senatorial primaries.