Ondo APC members protest over plan to impose assembly candidate

As the All Progressives Congress prepares for its primaries this month, some members of the ruling party in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Friday staged a protest against alleged plans by the state leadership of the party to impose a candidate on the people.

The protesters, who converged on Araromi Obu in Odigbo LGA, alleged that party leaders had concluded arrangements to impose an “unknown aspirant” as the party’s House of Assembly candidate in the forthcoming primary.

During the protest, the aggrieved party members sang solidarity songs and carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Stop imposing candidates on us,” “Respect democracy, respect the people,” “We want a candidate we know,” “We want transparency,” and “Listen to the people,” among others.

One of the party leaders in the local government, Comrade Dayo Akinro, who spoke during the protest, alleged that some party stakeholders had concluded plans to impose a House of Assembly aspirant on the constituency.

He appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene, warning that the alleged imposition could hurt the party’s chances in the general election.

He said, “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 protesters also urged the governor to ensure fairness and create a level playing field in the forthcoming exercise to restore confidence among party members.

They said, “We respectfully and passionately appeal to His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to urgently intervene in this matter in the interest of justice, unity, and the long-term success of the party.

“Your Excellency, we acknowledge your leadership and your commitment to the growth of the APC across the state. We believe strongly that you stand for fairness and inclusiveness, and it is in this spirit that we call on you to restore confidence among party members by ensuring a level playing field for all aspirants. Across these five wards, many loyal and committed members have made significant sacrifices—financial, physical, and emotional—to sustain the party.”

However, in a reaction, the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC in the state, Mr Steve Otaloro, denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and unfounded.

He said, “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.”