Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Akoko South West Constituency I of Ondo State have kicked against the alleged plan to replace the party's House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole, urging the national leadership to uphold the outcome of the May 20, 2026 primary election.
The stakeholders, comprising ward chairmen, councillors, supervisory councillors, party leaders and other critical members of the APC, made their position known in a communiqué issued after a meeting on Thursday, describing any attempt to substitute Omole as a violation of the party's internal democratic process.
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| Picture of party members |
They maintained that the primary election, conducted across the eight wards of the constituency under the supervision of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, produced Omole as the clear winner with 4,648 votes, while the incumbent lawmaker polled 921 votes.
The communiqué read in part, "We stand firmly by the outcome of the APC primary election held on May 20, 2026, and declare our total support for the mandate freely given to Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole by party members."
It added, "To allow an individual who bypassed local party structures and lost a transparent election to usurp a democratic mandate would severely damage party morale, discourage loyal party faithful and weaken the APC's electoral prospects in Ondo State."
Speaking at the meeting, former Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor and one of the House of Assembly aspirants who stepped down for Omole, Hon. Biola Balogun, said his decision was based on the conviction that Omole enjoyed the confidence of party members across the constituency.
Balogun said, "I stepped down because I believed the interest of the party should come first. The primary election was conducted by party members across the constituency, and they freely chose Akogun Olugbenga Omole. That mandate must be respected because it reflects the collective will of APC members."
Also speaking, the APC Returning Officer for the May 20 House of Assembly primary, Mr Christopher Omolorun, reaffirmed that the exercise was conducted in line with the party's guidelines.
"There is no controversy about the outcome of the primary. The election was conducted in accordance with the APC guidelines and under the watch of INEC officials. Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole scored the highest number of votes and was duly declared the winner," Omolorun said.
The Chairman of APC Ward 2, Ikanmu, Elder Adodo Patrick, JP, whose ward produced the defeated aspirant, said the lawmaker neither participated in the activities of the ward nor sought the support of party members before the primary.
Patrick said, "Hon. Raymond has never attended any APC meeting in Ward 2. He is not known to APC members in the ward, and he never came to canvass for votes before the primary election. Party members know those who have worked with them, and Omole earned their support."
The stakeholders appealed to the APC National Chairman and the National Working Committee to ensure that Omole's name was forwarded to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary.
"We respectfully appeal to the National Chairman, the National Working Committee and the leadership of our party to urgently correct this anomaly. Justice, fairness, internal democracy and the rule of law must prevail," the communiqué stated.
The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter by ordering a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged attempt to replace the winner of the primary.
"We urge President Bola Tinubu, whose leadership is anchored on justice, equity and the rule of law, to ensure that the authentic winner of the primary is not denied his mandate," the communiqué added.
The stakeholders, however, called on APC members in the constituency to remain peaceful and law-abiding, expressing confidence that the party leadership would protect the outcome of the primary election while preserving the unity and integrity of the APC.
COMMUNIQUÉ
DATE: 16th July, 2026
SUBJECT: JOINT RESOLUTION AND OBJECTION AGAINST THE PURPORTED SUBSTITUTION OF THE DULY ELECTED APC CANDIDATE FOR AKOKO SOUTH WEST CONSTITUENCY I, ONDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
1. PREAMBLE
We, the undersigned Ward Chairmen, Councillors, Supervisory Councillors, Party Leaders, and Critical Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akoko South West Constituency I, Ondo State, having convened to review critical developments regarding the representation of our constituency, hereby issue this joint communiqué to declare our collective and unwavering position.
2. THE ISSUE AT HAND
We note with deep concern and disappointment widespread reports indicating that our duly elected candidate, Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole, is being bypassed. Information suggests that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination form is being handed to an aspirant who lost the primary election.
As the grassroots leadership of the APC in Akoko South West Constituency I, we must set the record straight:
The Mandate of the People: The APC House of Assembly primary election, held on May 20th, 2026, across the eight (8) wards of the constituency, was conducted in strict compliance with the party’s guidelines and under the direct supervision of INEC officials.
The Verdict: At the conclusion of the exercise, Hon. Olugbenga Akinola Omole secured a landslide victory with 4,648 votes, while the incumbent member pooled only 921 votes. Hon. Omole was subsequently declared the winner by the designated returning officers in the presence of INEC officials.
3. OBSERVATIONS ON CANDIDATE CONDUCT AND ENGAGEMENT
We wish to draw the attention of the party leadership to the stark contrast in the conduct, loyalty, and grassroots engagement of the two parties involved:
Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole’s Grassroots Campaign: In the lead-up to the primary election, Hon. Omole personally visited all eight wards within Akoko South West Constituency I on three separate occasions. He consulted extensively with party leaders, members, and delegates, presenting his vision and earning their democratic mandate.
The Incumbent's Disregard for Local Party Organs: In contrast, the individual rumored to have been handed the INEC form—who defected to our party less than a year ago—has never engaged with the party organs at the ward or local government levels. He did not conduct any ward-level consultations or campaigns. Instead, he repeatedly boasted that his ticket would be secured directly from Abuja, undermining the value of our local party structure and democratic votes.
To allow an individual who bypasses local party structures and loses a transparent election to usurp a democratic mandate would severely damage party morale, discourage loyal party faithful, and weaken the APC's electoral prospects in Ondo State.
4. OUR RESOLUTIONS
In light of the foregoing, we unanimously resolve as follows:
Reaffirmation of the Primary Outcome: We stand firmly by the outcome of the APC primary election held on May 20th, 2026, and declare our total support for the mandate freely given by our delegates to Hon. Akogun Olugbenga Omole.
Appeal to Party Leadership: We respectfully appeal to the National Chairman, the National Working Committee (NWC), and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to urgently review this anomaly. Justice, fairness, internal democracy, and the rule of law must prevail.
Preservation of Party Integrity: We urge the party leadership to submit the name of the authentic winner of the primary election to INEC to preserve the integrity, credibility, and unity of our great party.
Appeal to Mr. President: We passionately appeal to the Leader of our great party, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose political brand is built on justice, equity, and the rule of law, to intervene in this situation in Ondo State. We urge Mr. President to order a thorough investigation into how a candidate who lost an election by such a wide margin is being positioned to replace the actual winner.
Call for Calm: We call on all loyal party members and supporters in Akoko South West Constituency I to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding, confident that the national leadership will act justly and constitutionally.
Unalloyed Loyalty: We reiterate our unwavering loyalty to the All Progressives Congress and commit to working tirelessly for the party’s total victory in all upcoming elections.
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