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Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State have protested against an alleged plan by party leaders to impose a candidate ahead of the forthcoming House of Assembly primaries.
The demonstrators, who gathered in Araromi Obu on Friday, expressed concerns that arrangements had been concluded to present an unfamiliar aspirant as the party’s candidate, warning that such a move would undermine internal democracy.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the aggrieved members called for transparency and fairness in the selection process.
A party leader in the area, Dayo Akinro, said the protest reflected the concerns of grassroots members who have contributed significantly to the party’s growth.
He argued that any attempt to impose a candidate would disregard the principles of equity, inclusion and justice and fail to reflect the will of party members in the constituency.
He also appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene, warning that the situation could affect the party’s performance in the general election.
“We speak not just as party members, but as committed grassroots mobilisers, loyal stakeholders, and active participants who have laboured tirelessly to build, sustain and defend the structure of this party across our communities.
“As the vibrant strength, voice, and future of the APC in this constituency, we cannot fold our arms while the very principles that bind us together,equity, fairness, inclusion, and justice, are being disregarded. This imposition does not reflect the will, the struggle, or the sacrifices of the people, and we strongly resist it.”
The demonstrators similarly urged the governor to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants, noting that many loyal members had made substantial sacrifices to sustain the party at the grassroots.
However, the party’s Director of Media and Publicity in the state, Steve Otaloro, allegedly dismissed the allegations, describing them as premature and unfounded.
He said the primary process was ongoing, with nomination forms still open, and added that it was too early to suggest that any consensus candidate had emerged.
Otaloro also noted that the governor had been engaging widely with stakeholders across the state, insisting that such consultations reflected a commitment to transparency rather than any attempt to impose a candidate.
“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. Allegations of attempts to impose a candidate on the people of Odigbo are not only unfounded but also a disservice to leaders who have consistently demonstrated strong democratic credentials.
“The governor has convened quarterly stakeholders’ meetings and has gone the extra mile by consulting party members across the three senatorial districts to gather their inputs on the way forward ahead of the primaries. If there were any intention to impose a candidate, such extensive consultations would have been unnecessary.”
