ondo APC crisis: Buhari exonerates self

he crisis rocking the APC in Ondo state is far from over– Ahead of the party’s Saturday’s governorship primary election, President Buhari has said he has no preferred candidate– The SGF, Lawal, assured that the election would be free and fairPresident Muhammadu Buhari has exonerated himself from the crisis rocking the Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, August 29, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, said Buhari has no preferred candidate in Saturday’s governorship primary election of his party in Ondo state, Vanguard reports.He said this after a meeting with the 24 aspirants of the party.APC secretariat Ondo stateREAD ALSO:Jimoh Ibrahim wins factional PDP primary election“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari wishes to reiterate that it has no preferred candidate among the 24 aspirants and that government would do all in its power to provide a level-playing field for all the aspirants.“We expect that all the aspirants will work hard to win the votes of delegates. In the tradition of APC, we expect that there will be no inducement of delegates or coercion,” Lawal said.The SGF gave the assurance that there would be adequate deployment of security operatives for the primaries.He also warned that anyone who does anything to breach the peace and security of Ondo state would be dealt decisively with.READ ALSO:APC groups exchange blows at party secretariatSpeaking on behalf of the aspirants, Jumoke Anifowoshe thanked the president for the reassurances, saying they are now satisfied and comfortable with government’s assurance that the election would be free and fair.One of the aspirants, Dr Tunji Abayomi had accused the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of endorsing one of the aspirants, Segun Abraham.Since then, the Ondo APC has been embroiled in crisis andthe secretariat has been a battle ground.On Thursday, August 18,warring members engaged each other in a gunfightat the APC secretariat in Akure, the Ondo state capital.Efforts by the National Working Committee of the party to calm frayed nerves appeared to have recently hit a brick-wall, as the crisis continues to fester.