Dr Adesina
Fagbenro-Byron (SFB) emerged victorious as Kowa Party’s Presidential Candidate
from the party’s National Convention and Presidential Primary that took place
on Saturday 29th September, 2018 from 11am to 5pm at The Alexis Hotel, Obafemi
Awolowo Way, Jabi Upstairs, Abuja.
He surmounted vigorous
competition from his fellow presidential aspirants, Professor (Mrs.) Remi
Sonaiya, who was the party’s presidential flag bearer at the 2015 elections,
and veteran actor, Mr. Ayo Lijadu, who ran a very strategic national grassroots
recruitment campaign.
KOWA Party subjected
its aspirants to a rigorous process. They were formally screened
including security clearance. Then they submitted to a written
examination on Friday 28th September answering multiple choice questions posed
by experts from diverse fields, and writing an essay on a topic of national
interest. Finally, they participated in a Presidential Debate at noon during the convention on Saturday 29th September moderated by
Mr. Soji Apampa, the founder of Integrity Group. The aspirants were also
given a final opportunity to appeal for votes.
Their profiles have
been circulated to all party members by SMS and email prior to the
commencement of paper balloting at the National Convention.
KOWA Party adopted a
multi-channel voting system for its national primary. In keeping with our
spirit of inclusiveness, the party used a combination of paper, online and SMS
voting so that all of its members, even those in rural areas could participate,
including those without smart phones and who could not travel to the state
convention centers that the party set up in 28 states. Indeed some members who
were unwell were still able to cast their votes from their sick
beds.
The online voting
system was first successfully piloted at our Lagos State Congress in May 2018
and was witnessed by INEC.
KOWA Party prides
itself as being the credible alternative to the traditional political
parties. The party’s slogan is "Together, we make a difference"
and it aims to avoid the traps that have bedeviled the big parties in Nigeria
and cling strongly to its founding principles of transparency, inclusiveness,
people-centred development and meritocracy. Its aspirants run based on
their state of residence, not their state of origin. Women, Youth and
People Living with Disabilities are not considered token or minority members,
they are welcomed and embraced as full members and officers of the party at
National and State levels, and are well represented at decision-making levels.
