One of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Fatai Buhari, has expressed readiness to contest the party’s primary election alongside other aspirants, insisting that the process should be peaceful, transparent and credible.
Buhari, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District in the Senate, made this known on Monday during a meeting with the APC leadership led by the state chairman, Moses Adeyemo, at the party secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
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According to him, the APC leadership has built a reputation for fairness and integrity, qualities he said would ensure a transparent primary process in the state.
He argued that any aspirant unwilling to face other contenders in a primary election lacks the competence to emerge as the party’s candidate, adding that such a person would struggle to secure victory for the APC in the governorship election.
Speaking at the meeting, Adeyemo, a former deputy governor of the state, disclosed that the party was preparing to conduct free, fair and credible direct primaries for its aspirants.
He made the remark while receiving members of the Screening and Appeal Committee sent from the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
Adeyemo assured aspirants that the party would ensure fairness and equal treatment for everyone in line with democratic principles and the ideals of the APC.
He explained that while efforts were ongoing to achieve consensus among aspirants, the party might still adopt direct primaries in some cases, including the governorship race.
According to him, the party remains committed to organising transparent exercises wherever direct primaries become necessary, though he noted that some aspirants could still reconsider and support consensus arrangements.
Buhari, who described himself as one of the leading contenders among the 10 governorship aspirants screened by the committee, said he possesses the experience and capacity needed to govern Oyo State effectively and represent the APC well.
He also promised to support the party secretariat with solar-powered lighting and computer facilities to improve operations.
As part of his support for the party, Buhari donated N5m to the APC state chapter and an additional N2m to members of the party executive.
Responding, Adeyemo commended Buhari for various developmental projects attracted to Oyo North Senatorial District, especially in the Oke-Ogun axis.
He also appreciated the senator’s commitment to the APC and prayed for success in his political ambitions.
The gathering attracted Buhari’s supporters and loyalists from all 33 local government areas of the state.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Power and APC governorship aspirant, Bayo Adelabu, also maintained that there is no officially recognised consensus candidate and urged all aspirants to participate in the primary election.
The position followed a meeting of some APC stakeholders where Senator Sharafadeen Alli, representing Oyo South Senatorial District, was reportedly endorsed as a consensus candidate.
Other aspirants, including Buhari, former deputy governor Rauf Olaniyan and Akeem Agbaje, have equally thrown their weight behind direct primaries.
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