Osun APC Primary: Stakeholders Warn Against Imposition Of Candidates

The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have been urged to strictly follow due process in the selection of the party’s senatorial candidates for the 2027 general election.

ABULGafar Akintayo Amere, a Senatorial aspirant from Osun West Senatorial District made the call during a meeting of APC leaders across the senatorial district in Iwo on Thursday.

Amere, who represented Iwo/Ayedire/Ọla-Oluwa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, was not happy with alleged moves to foist a candidate on the party without following due democratic process.

“Party leaders told the aspirants that only one nomination form would be bought for a consensus candidate,” he said. However, the decision was later reversed and all aspirants were directed to pick nomination forms after consultation with the party secretary and other stakeholders of the party.

“We were summoned to the meeting and asked to express our opinions about the candidate allegedly chosen by the leaders. I said it was a process that wasn’t fair. Initially they insisted that only one form would be obtained for the preferred candidate but later they contacted us and told everyone to purchase forms. Before proceeding, we consulted with the party secretary and other leaders on this directive.

He insisted that the APC’s National Working Committee, NWC, had already instructed that all senatorial aspirants should take part in the primary election scheduled for Monday, adding that there was no provision for a consensus arrangement.

Yesterday, the national leadership of the party reiterated that all senatorial candidates must go through the primary election. There is no such thing as a consensus candidate. “We will follow the directive of the National Working Committee as it overrides any decision taken at the state level or elsewhere,” he added.

He also noted that similar situations were said to be playing out in other senatorial districts in the state and he called on other aspirants to resist any attempt to deny them a level playing ground.

Another aspirant, Peter Taiwo, who also spoke at the meeting, said the meeting was called together by APC leaders in Osun West Senatorial District to discuss the adoption of a preferred candidate.

He said: “Many of the aspirants rejected the proposal, insisting that the Electoral Act and party guidelines require the consent of all contestants before a consensus candidate can emerge.

“We told the leaders we are not happy with the arrangement. By law, all candidates must freely consent before a consensus nominee is selected. If any contestant objects, any party shall have a primary election.

He said that preparations have already started for the direct primary election slated for Monday following the directive of the party’s National Working Committee, as most of the aspirants were against the decision of the leaders.