The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kogi State says delegates were not compelled to vote one way or the other during the party primary.
This is as the party debunked claims of rigging and malpractice during the Senate primary in the state.
In a statement on Sunday by the State Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Ahmed Yusuf, the party said such claims were meant to tarnish the image of major and critical stakeholders of the party in the state.
Yusuf said accreditation and voting exercises were carried out openly with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the press witnessing the exercise.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to allegations made by Senator Smart Adeyemi against the State Chairman of our Party APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello and Gov. Yahaya Bell on the conduct of primaries for Kogi West Senatorial district.
“The allegations were untrue and calculated attempts to cause disaffections within the party.
“Long before the party issued guidelines for the sale of forms, there was an attempt by some major stakeholders of the party in the state to drag the Hon Minister of State for FCT Dr Ramatu Tijani who is from Kogi West into the Senatorial race and have her as a consensus candidate.
“A committee was put in place to call all aspirants that had indicated interest and seek their opinions, whether they can all withdraw for her.
“The lobby for withdrawal and promises for other positions was not limited to Senator Smart Adeyemi but all aspirants.
“None of the aspirants agreed to the deal and the Honorable Minister did not come forward to show interest in the arrangement, the whole idea was then jettisoned while everyone was advised to go further to exercise their rights when the sales of forms commenced.
“Even with a state unity list, all primaries carried out in the state inclusive of the Senatorial primaries in Kabba was free, fair and transparent.
“No delegate was forced to vote one way or the other. Accreditation and voting exercises were carried out openly with INEC, security agencies and the press witnessing the exercise.
“Senator Smart Adeyemi’s agent at the polls Mr Taiye Ikupeleye signed the return sheet without any complaint.
“It is rather unfortunate for an elder statesman like our distinguished Senator to make such spurious allegations. We should learn to accept defeat and move on.
“Even if our Senator has taken membership of the Senate as a career, he must pass through a due process to fly the flag of our party”.
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