By: Abdulqadir Muhammad Alhaji
The conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election in Ondo State has continued to generate reactions among party members and political observers following the emergence of reports that some aspirants allegedly participated in the exercise before the official release of their screening status.
Despite the controversy, the primary election itself was largely described by party faithful and observers as peaceful, orderly, transparent and free from violence across several parts of the state, a development many supporters initially praised as a sign that the ruling party was determined to improve internal democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Many delegates and supporters who participated in the exercise expressed satisfaction with the calm atmosphere that characterised the process, especially in comparison with previous internal contests often marred by tension, disruptions and allegations of manipulation.
However, concerns later emerged after it became evident that the official screening results for aspirants had not been released before the commencement of the primary election.
According to the APC timetable earlier released by the party, the screening exercise for House of Representatives aspirants was scheduled for May 9 and 10, but the publication of names of disqualified aspirants was not released by the party until the voting exercise began across the states early today as scheduled.
The results of the screening exercise revealed that 14 aspirants have been disqualified, the majority of whom are from Ondo State. Notably, these individuals had already participated in the election and received overwhelming votes during the primaries.
Party supporters and political followers had anticipated the release of the screening outcome to determine which aspirants were cleared or disqualified before the commencement of the primaries. Instead, several aspirants reportedly participated in the direct primary election while still awaiting official communication regarding their screening status.
The situation created uncertainty within some political camps, as many aspirants and their supporters entered the contest believing they had fully qualified for the race, only for reports of disqualifications and screening outcomes to surface hours after voting activities had already commenced and announcement of results expected.
The development has since triggered debate within political circles in Ondo State, with some party members questioning the timing of the release of the screening outcome and whether the process aligned with the party’s promise of transparency and fairness.
Nonetheless, supporters of the APC have continued to commend the peaceful conduct of the primary election itself, arguing that the absence of violence and widespread chaos reflected maturity among party stakeholders and voters in the state.
Political observers say the incident may now serve as a critical test of the APC leadership’s commitment to transparent internal processes, especially as party leaders continue to assure members and Nigerians that future primaries and candidate selections will be conducted fairly and credibly.
Leave a Reply