A constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Dr Tunji Abayomi who is an aspirant for Ondo North Senatorial on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has dared the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole over his decision to give automatic tickets to incumbent APC senators.
The fiery lawyer who spoke on behalf of some disqualified senatorial aspirants in the state at a press conference in Akure on Wednesday said the ‘ audacious impunity’ under Oshiomhole leadership was worrisome. He asked the APC National Working Committee to make U-turn within 24-hour.
Some of the senatorial aspirants include, the state representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa; a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Victor Olabimtan; Dr Felder Olatunji, Mr Morayo Lebi and Odunayo Akinrinsola. They were disqualified by the NWC on Tuesday.
The three serving senators that were given the automatic tickets of the party are Senator Ajayi Boroffice ( Ondo North), Senator Tayo Alasoadura ( Ondo Central) and Senator Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South)
Abayomi, who spoke for the aspirants in Akure, the state capital, said Oshiomhole was working towards the total collapse of the APC.
Abayomi stated that giving automatic tickets to incumbent senators was not democratic.
He said “We, the aspirants of the APC in Ondo State, purportedly not cleared to contest, hereby reject the so called decision of the NWC. There is nothing like automatic tickets in a constitutional democracy. The NWC should rescind the decision or Oshiomhole should resign.”
One of the cleared senators, Alasoadura, said he was not pleased with the decision of the NWC by disqualifying other aspirants. He added that the problems of the party were being compounded under the leadership of Oshiomhole.
He said, “More disturbing is the increasingly audacious impunity associated with the leadership of the party under Adams Oshiomhole. There has been a high level of inconsistent standard applied across the states of the federation.”
He said members of the party in the state would not accept “emergence of any candidate unless through lawful means.”
