As the primaries of the All Progressives Congress are set to hold on Friday, some National and State Assembly aspirants of the party in Ondo State have raised the alarm over an alleged plan to use thugs to disrupt the exercise.
The aggrieved aspirants, drawn from the 203 wards of the state, are seeking the party’s tickets to contest the 2027 National and State Assembly elections.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants in Akure on Thursday, a House of Representatives aspirant, Jimi Adekanle, alleged that the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had allegedly endorsed some aspirants ahead of the primaries without consulting others.
Adekanle, who described the alleged act as unfair and anti-democratic, said there were plans to use thugs to attack aspirants who were not among the governor’s preferred candidates in order to ensure victory for the endorsed aspirants.
He said, “Reports have it that the thugs were instructed to violently attack any aspirants outside his (the governor’s) list and their supporters at the venues of the scheduled primaries, assuring them that the attacks would be carried out under the cover of personnel from the Nigerian Army, State Security Service, police, and NSCDC.
“We further gathered that another meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2026, for financial mobilisation and logistical coordination of the planned attacks. This is an ominous development and certainly a threat to participatory democracy.
“We call on the National Chairman of the APC, the party leadership, and heads of all security agencies to intervene urgently. This could severely damage the party’s unity, disrupt public peace and national stability, and cast doubt on the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.”
Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, denied the claims, saying the governor had been making efforts to ensure a smooth and hitch-free primary election.
He said, “It is not true. The governor can never be involved in such an act. As the party leader in the state, he has been making efforts to ensure a hitch-free and credible primary, not to sponsor violence.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa is committed to maintaining orderliness throughout the exercise in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
“These primaries represent another important democratic process for our great party, and we want to urge all aspirants, party leaders, and supporters to ensure the exercise remains hitch-free, transparent, and devoid of violence or rancour before, during, and after the polls.”
As the primaries of the All Progressives Congress are set to hold on Friday, some National and State Assembly aspirants of the party in Ondo State have raised the alarm over an alleged plan to use thugs to disrupt the exercise.
The aggrieved aspirants, drawn from the 203 wards of the state, are seeking the party’s tickets to contest the 2027 National and State Assembly elections.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants in Akure on Thursday, a House of Representatives aspirant, Jimi Adekanle, alleged that the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had allegedly endorsed some aspirants ahead of the primaries without consulting others.
Adekanle, who described the alleged act as unfair and anti-democratic, said there were plans to use thugs to attack aspirants who were not among the governor’s preferred candidates in order to ensure victory for the endorsed aspirants.
He said, “Reports have it that the thugs were instructed to violently attack any aspirants outside his (the governor’s) list and their supporters at the venues of the scheduled primaries, assuring them that the attacks would be carried out under the cover of personnel from the Nigerian Army, State Security Service, police, and NSCDC.
“We further gathered that another meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2026, for financial mobilisation and logistical coordination of the planned attacks. This is an ominous development and certainly a threat to participatory democracy.
“We call on the National Chairman of the APC, the party leadership, and heads of all security agencies to intervene urgently. This could severely damage the party’s unity, disrupt public peace and national stability, and cast doubt on the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.”
Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, denied the claims, saying the governor had been making efforts to ensure a smooth and hitch-free primary election.
He said, “It is not true. The governor can never be involved in such an act. As the party leader in the state, he has been making efforts to ensure a hitch-free and credible primary, not to sponsor violence.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa is committed to maintaining orderliness throughout the exercise in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
“These primaries represent another important democratic process for our great party, and we want to urge all aspirants, party leaders, and supporters to ensure the exercise remains hitch-free, transparent, and devoid of violence or rancour before, during, and after the polls.”
