When choosing the party’s senatorial candidates for the 2027 general election, leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State have been encouraged to scrupulously adhere to due procedure.
AbdulGafar Akintayo Amere, a senatorial candidate from Osun West Senatorial area, made the request during a meeting held on Thursday in Iwo by APC leaders from the senatorial area.
Amere, who served as the House of Representatives’ representative for the Iwo/Ayedire/Ọla-Oluwa Federal Constituency from 2011 to 2019, voiced displeasure over purported attempts to install a candidate without adhering to the proper democratic norms.
He claims that “party leaders first told the candidates that only one nomination form would be purchased for a consensus candidate.” After consulting with the party secretary and other party stakeholders, the decision was eventually overturned and all candidates were instructed to collect nomination papers.
“We were requested to attend the meeting and express our thoughts on the candidate who was purportedly selected by the leaders. I informed them that the procedure was unjust. They first maintained that the favored candidate would only receive one form, but they later got in touch with us and told everyone to buy forms. Before moving further, we verified this direction with the party secretary and other leaders.
He insisted that there was no provision for a consensus agreement and noted that the APC’s National Working Committee, or NWC, had already mandated that all senatorial candidates take part in Monday’s primary poll.
“Our party’s national leadership reiterated yesterday that the primary election is a prerequisite for all senatorial candidates. A consensus candidate is unmatched. The National Working Committee’s directive takes precedence over decisions made at the state or elsewhere, so we will follow it,” he continued.
He urged other candidates to oppose any attempt to deprive them a fair battle, adding that similar circumstances were reportedly occurring in other senatorial districts throughout the state.
Speaking at the event, Peter Taiwo, another candidate, stated that the Osun West Senatorial District APC officials had called the meeting to discuss the adoption of a favored candidate.
He claims that “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 expressed our dissatisfaction with the agreement to the leaders. A consensus candidate cannot be chosen until all candidates voluntarily consent, according to the law. The party has to hold a primary election if any candidate disagrees.
In accordance with the party’s National Working Committee’s instruction, he said, preparations had already started for Monday’s direct primary election because the majority of the candidates disagreed with the leaders’ choice.
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