8th June, 2015
Bamikole Omishore, Special assistant on media and advocacy to Senator Bukola Saraki, has dismissed rumours that the former Kwara state governor will dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for another party.
Saraki, who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC is unhappy with his party’s conduct of mock primaries for Senate President which was held on Saturday, 6 June.
He boycotted the election along with members of Like Mind describing the process as “undemocratic and against universal electoral norms and practice.”
Since the boycott, rumour of his exit from the party has been making the rounds. But in response to the rumours, Omishore wrote on Twitter. “There is absolutely no iota of truth in rumour that Sen @bukolasaraki will dump APC we are committed to CHANGE. NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL,” he said.
The tweet was ‘Favourited’ by Bukola Saraki.
There is absolutely no iota of truth in rumour that Sen @bukolasaraki will dump APC we are committed to CHANGE. NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL
— Bamikole Omishore (@MrBanksOmishore) June 8, 2015
Contesting the outcome of the mock election in a statement signed by senator-elect Dino Melaye and senator-elect Ahmed Rufai Sani, on behalf of senators-elect of Like Minds, they said. “We the senators-elect of Like Minds today 6TH of June 2015, on the invitation of our party, attended an interactive meeting with selected 5 members from each group, the Unity Forum and the Like Minds Group.
“Regrettably, the Unity Forum insisted on open ballot voting which we discovered is different from the electoral process used to conduct the earlier election with the House of Representatives members elect. To us, this open ballot voting is primitive; undemocratic and against universal electoral norms and practice.
“In the light of the above, we the Senators elect of Like Minds hereby insist on our position of Open Secret voting process which we believe is in consonance with the provisions of the electoral act, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the universal electoral values.