We are fully ready, says APC

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday said it had concluded all arrangements to conduct its governorship primary on Saturday.

The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Abiodun Salami, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in Lagos.

Salami spoke to NAN after the state party executive led by Alhaji Tunde Balogun met with local government executives and council chairmen at the APC secretariat.

NAN reports that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode; a former Commissioner for Training and Establishment, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu; and a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, are in the race for the sole ticket.

Salami said the party was fully set to conduct the primary that would produce its governorship candidate for the general elections.

“We are completely set for the governorship primary, I can assure you .We have put everything in place and perfected plans for a successful conduct.

“The party executive just had a meeting with council chairmen and party executives in the local government areas on how to go about the election.

“We have done the necessary things and I can confidently tell you that the state chapter is ready for the exercise,” he said.

Giving details about the primary, Salami said the exercise would take place in 245 wards across the 20 constitutionally recognised local governments.

He said that the primary mode would be direct, and the option A4 system used during the 1993 general elections would be employed.

Salami said the results of all the wards would be collated afterwards, from which the eventual winner would be announced.

According to him, the party is adopting the method to ensure transparency and fairness.

He urged all registered party members to participate in the process to determine the governorship candidate of the party.

Salami attributed the suspension of the screening of state house of assembly aspirants in the chapter to the delay in the arrival of officials from the national secretariat to monitor the exercise.

“As soon as we hear from them, we shall conduct the screening,” he said.