Five governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State have appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s National Working Committee to step into the controversy surrounding the recently concluded House of Representatives primary elections in the state.
The aspirants raised concerns over what they described as irregularities during the primaries and urged the party leadership to ensure a transparent, fair, and credible process ahead of the 2027 general elections. They warned that any form of imposition or manipulation during the party’s internal selection could weaken the APC’s chances in Oyo during the next election cycle.
The call was made during a press conference held at the NUJ Press Centre in Ibadan, where the group presented a communiqué outlining their grievances.
The aspirants include former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan, alongside Musbau Asanike, Akeem Agbaje, Ololade Bakare, and Oyedele Alao.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Alao alleged that the House of Representatives primaries held on May 16 were characterised by intimidation, exclusion of party members, arbitrary disqualification of some aspirants, and the alleged announcement of fabricated results in certain constituencies.
According to him, some areas in Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, and Oyo zones reportedly had election results announced even though voting did not take place there.
He said the group strongly rejected any primary process that undermines the will of party members, noting that such practices had in the past contributed to internal crises and electoral setbacks for the APC in Oyo State.
The aspirants maintained that the credibility of the process matters as much as the outcome, stressing that a flawed process would rob the exercise of democratic legitimacy.
They added that many party members across several federal constituencies had complained about the alleged sidelining of loyal members and the imposition of preferred candidates.
While expressing support for a consensus arrangement, the aspirants insisted that any consensus candidate must emerge through broad consultations with stakeholders and reflect the collective interest of party members.
The group also reaffirmed its loyalty to President Tinubu, saying it would respect any decision he makes after due consultations with leaders and stakeholders across the state.
They further called on the APC National Working Committee to investigate all petitions related to the House of Representatives primaries, especially allegations of unlawful disqualifications and manipulated results.
The aspirants urged the party leadership in Oyo to prioritise reconciliation, justice, and fairness to avoid deepening divisions within the party.
They warned that failure to address the concerns could cost the APC politically in the 2027 elections.
The APC had recently announced the winners of its primary elections for the 14 federal constituencies in Oyo State, with 74 aspirants participating in the exercise.
However, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Primaries Elections Committee, Mojeed Alabi, dismissed concerns over the exercise, describing it as peaceful and orderly across the state.
Alabi explained that the committee’s role was to supervise the conduct of the elections, collate the results, and submit its report to the party’s national leadership, which he said has the final authority to announce the official outcome.
He added that the primaries were conducted simultaneously across wards in each federal constituency in line with the party’s guidelines and assured that the committee remained committed to transparency and fairness despite logistical challenges.
Advertisement
