APC House of Reps Hopeful Rejects Oyo Primary Outcome, Hints at Court Battle

Barrister Wakil Oyelemi Oyedemi, an aspirant for the Afijio/Oyo East/Oyo West/Atiba Federal Constituency seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that the party’s primary election process was manipulated to favour a preferred candidate.

Oyedemi, who is contesting against the incumbent lawmaker, Akeem Adeyemi, claimed that no legitimate primary election was conducted in the constituency. He accused some APC leaders of attempting to impose a candidate instead of allowing a transparent and democratic selection process.

Speaking to journalists, the lawyer argued that a valid candidate can only emerge through either a consensus agreement among all aspirants or a properly conducted direct primary election. According to him, neither process was followed.

He explained that no meeting was held where all aspirants agreed on a consensus candidate or signed any agreement to support one individual. Oyedemi further alleged that party leaders had already decided who would emerge as the candidate before the scheduled primary.

The aspirant claimed that ward officials were instructed not to organise actual voting but to simply endorse a predetermined aspirant. He also alleged that election materials were never distributed across the constituency and that no accreditation or voting exercise took place.

Oyedemi stated that he and other aspirants rejected the arrangement during meetings with party leaders ahead of the exercise, insisting that many party members opposed what they described as an imposition of the incumbent lawmaker.

He warned that he may take legal action over the matter, arguing that the alleged irregularities amount to violations of electoral and constitutional provisions.

According to him, he had previously stepped aside in the interest of party unity during earlier elections, but insisted that he would not remain silent this time.

Oyedemi also cautioned that candidates produced through flawed processes risk being removed by the courts, citing past judgments on disputed party primaries in Nigeria.

The APC leadership in Oyo State had not issued any official response to the allegations as of the time the report was filed.