A fresh crisis appears to be brewing within the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, following the rejection of an alleged consensus arrangement favouring Hon. Abiola Makinde by four aspirants vying for the Ondo East/West Federal Constituency seat.
The aspirants — Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, Hon. Ade Adeniyi, Hon. Bola Fisayo and Dr. Michael Ajilo — faulted the purported endorsement of Makinde for a third-term bid, describing it as an imposition that undermines internal democracy.
Addressing journalists after a joint meeting in Ondo on Thursday, the contenders insisted that the party must conduct a transparent and credible direct primary to determine its candidate for the forthcoming election.
They disclosed that each of them had already purchased the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms, stressing their readiness to participate in the primary as provided by law.
The aspirants maintained that they were neither consulted nor involved in any consensus arrangement, hence their decision to collectively reject the move.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and their commitment to offering credible representation to constituents at the National Assembly.
They noted that concerns over poor representation in the constituency had heightened expectations among the electorate, adding that their ambition was driven by a desire to address those challenges.
While hinting at ongoing consultations among themselves, the aspirants assured party members and residents that efforts were underway to present a viable alternative.
They added that their position was aimed at safeguarding democratic principles within the party and ensuring that the eventual candidate emerges through a fair and inclusive process.
