Four aspirants contesting the Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused the party’s leadership in Ondo State of plotting to impose a consensus candidate ahead of the forthcoming primaries.
The aspirants — Jibayo Adeyeye, Ade Adeniyi, Bola Fisayo and Michael Ajilo — made the allegation in a communiqué issued after a meeting held on Thursday, warning that such a move could undermine internal democracy within the party.
A copy of the communiqué, obtained on Saturday, showed that the aspirants distanced themselves from any arrangement aimed at endorsing a sole candidate for the constituency.
“We are not part of any consensus arrangements leading to the endorsement of any candidate for our federal constituency,” the statement read.
They affirmed their readiness to participate in a direct primary election, noting that they had all completed the necessary steps to formalise their candidatures.
“We have all obtained the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the forthcoming primary election of our party,” they added.
The aspirants further called for a transparent and credible selection process, stressing their commitment to offering quality representation at the National Assembly.
“We are aware of the yearnings and aspirations of our constituents concerning the fielding of credible candidates to represent us… We have offered ourselves as credible alternatives in the APC,” the communiqué stated.
They also disclosed that consultations were ongoing among them, hinting at the possibility of reaching a mutually agreed position in the interest of the constituency.
“We are discussing amongst ourselves and will come up with a consensus in due course. We release this communiqué to reassure our constituents that help and, indeed, renewed hope are on the way,” they said.
However, the Ondo State chapter of the APC dismissed the allegations, describing them as unfounded and premature.
Speaking on Saturday, the party’s spokesperson, Steve Otaloro, said the claims lacked merit as the primary process had yet to begin.
“The primary election has not yet been conducted, as the sale of nomination forms to aspirants is still ongoing. It is therefore premature for anyone to speak of a consensus at this stage,” he said.
Otaloro maintained that the party leadership remained committed to democratic principles, rejecting suggestions of candidate imposition.
“Allegations of attempting to impose a candidate are not only unfounded but also a disservice to leaders who have consistently demonstrated strong democratic credentials,” he added.
He further noted that the party had engaged in wide consultations across the state, including meetings with stakeholders from the three senatorial districts.
“If there were any intention to impose a candidate, such extensive consultations would have been unnecessary,” he argued.
The spokesperson assured party members that any internal disagreements would be resolved through established procedures to ensure fairness and transparency.
Meanwhile, tensions within the party appear to be escalating, with reports of protests by some members in Odigbo Local Government Area over alleged plans to impose a candidate ahead of the primaries.
