Joel Ajayi

Fresh controversy has trailed the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, as concerned stakeholders have called on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to investigate allegations surrounding the eligibility of one of the aspirants, Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, as well as the conduct of the exercise.

The stakeholders alleged that Olanrewaju, who serves as Special Assistant to Bola Ahmed Tinubu on National Assembly Matters, contested in the APC primary without complying with the President’s directive requiring all political appointees seeking elective office in the 2027 general elections to resign on or before March 31, 2026.

According to them, although the directive was communicated through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olanrewaju allegedly remained in office beyond the deadline and continued receiving salary payments.

They claimed to possess documentary evidence, including what they described as a verified May 2026 payslip, showing that the presidential aide remained on the Federal Government payroll after the resignation deadline, thereby raising questions over his eligibility to participate in the APC primary.

The stakeholders argued that the alleged conduct contravenes Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which bars political appointees from voting or being voted for at political party conventions, congresses and primaries. They also cited the President’s resignation directive and the Supreme Court judgment in Tukur v. Mustapha, which they said reinforces the requirement for political appointees seeking elective office to vacate their positions before participating in party primaries.

In a statement, the stakeholders said the development raises serious legal and moral concerns.

“Contrary to the presidential directive, credible evidence now indicates that Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju continued to receive salary payments even beyond the stipulated resignation deadline. This raises serious legal and moral questions about his qualification to participate in the party’s primary election,” the statement read.

The group further alleged that Olanrewaju publicly claimed to have resigned in compliance with the directive, insisting that the claim was inconsistent with documents in their possession.

Beyond the issue of eligibility, the stakeholders also questioned the credibility of the primary election, alleging widespread irregularities capable of affecting the outcome.

They claimed that no voter accreditation was conducted in any ward in Ilejemeje Local Government Area, contrary to provisions of the Electoral Act.

The stakeholders also alleged that in Ipere Ward, where 357 delegates were reportedly registered, another aspirant was credited with 782 votes, describing the figure as clear evidence of vote inflation.

They further claimed that supporters of rival aspirants were prevented from voting in parts of Ido/Osi Local Government Area, including Ayetoro Wards 1 and 2, Usi Ward, and Otun Wards 1 and 2, alleging intimidation and disruption by government agents.

Questions were equally raised over the neutrality of officials who conducted the primary, with claims that Local Government Chairmen and APC local party leaders with vested interests in the outcome served as returning officers, thereby creating conflicts of interest.

Maintaining that no credible primary election took place, the stakeholders alleged that results were allegedly written in favour of the aspirant rather than emerging from a transparent voting process.

“There are widespread claims that no actual primary election took place and that results were instead written in his favour. Numerous video evidences are said to exist exposing the irregularities that characterized the entire exercise,” they said.

The stakeholders said their evidence includes video recordings, documents relating to the conduct of the primary, and the May 2026 payslip, urging the APC leadership to examine all materials thoroughly.

They called on the APC National Working Committee to investigate the allegations and determine whether the primary complied with the Electoral Act, the APC Constitution and the party’s guidelines.

“The APC cannot afford to condone actions that undermine its democratic processes. Aspirants who have shown genuine commitment to the party, invested resources, maintained strong ties with constituents and demonstrated proven records of service should not be sidelined through questionable practices,” the statement added.

The group urged the party to ensure justice, fairness and transparency in handling all pending appeals, warning that the credibility of the APC and the confidence of its members depend on the decisions taken.

They further argued that if established, the alleged actions would amount to a serious breach of public trust.

“He deceived Mr President. He deceived the party. He deceived Ekiti people. He deceived Nigerians. He who must come to equity must come with clean hands,” the statement concluded.

The stakeholders warned that failure to address the issues surrounding the primary could weaken confidence in the APC’s internal democratic process and hurt the party’s chances of retaining the Ekiti North Federal Constituency II seat in the 2027 general elections.

As of the time of filing this report, Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju had not publicly responded to the allegations, while the APC had yet to issue an official statement on the matter. Efforts to obtain reactions from both the aspirant and the party were unsuccessful before publication.

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