Oyo APC House of Reps primaries marred by irregularities – Aspirants reject election

Five gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC have alleged that the recently held primaries in all the federal constituencies in Oyo State were marred by irregularities. 

APC primary elections were held in all 14 federal constituencies in the state, but the five aspirants claimed that the elections were conducted in an atmosphere of intimidation, arbitrary disqualification, widespread grievances among members, falsification of results and threat of members. 

The complainats, Akeem Agbaje, Akeem Alao, Remi Olaniyan, Musibau Asanike and Ololade Bakare, raised the concerns while addressing a press conference on Monday in Ibadan.

A press release read by Alao, onbehalf of the aggrieved, rejected the outcome of the primary elections across the state and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the matter. 

They also advised the leadership of the party to correct the abnormalities, maintaining that many people were sidelined in Akinyele/ Lagelu federal constituency. 

They also alleged that the outcome of the election in Oluyole federal constituency did not reflect the wishes of the people. 

“The primary election was marred by a pervasive atmosphere of coercion and suppression. In several federal constituencies, duly registered party members were prevented from exercising their franchise through threats, physical assault, and, in some cases, outright expulsion from voting venues. This calculated atmosphere of fear effectively nullified the essence of a direct primary, converting what should have been a democratic exercise into an instrument of exclusion.

“Across constituencies such as Akinyele/Lagelu and others, the mood among party members is one of deep disillusionment and anger. The sidelining of loyal party faithful, the disregard for pre-existing internal agreements, and the imposition of candidates without recourse to the collective will have created a chasm between the leadership and the grassroots. This alienation poses an existential threat to party cohesion.

“The outcome in Oluyole Federal Constituency serves as a stark lesson: a preferred candidate, despite the backing of influential leaders, suffered a decisive defeat because her candidacy had already been rejected by the constituency. This demonstrates the futility of imposition and reaffirms that no amount of elite consensus can override the sovereign will of the people at the grassroots.

“We unequivocally reject the conduct of direct primaries that compromise the majority will of the people. Such exercises have historically bred imposition, alienation, and electoral losses for the APC in Oyo State. The integrity of the process is as critical as the outcome; when the process is flawed, the outcome lacks democratic legitimacy.

“We urge Mr. President, as the national leader of our party, to compel the National leadership and the Oyo State APC leadership to conduct free, fair and credible primaries in line with his well-known democratic credentials”. 

Oyo APC House of Reps primaries marred by irregularities – Aspirants reject election