AKURE — Intense apprehension has gripped the political landscape of Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency as stakeholders await the pivotal court judgment scheduled for Monday, 19 October, regarding the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate-selection dispute.
Starnews NG reports that growing anxiety within the party hierarchy follows unconfirmed reports that Dr Olumuyiwa Daramola has consistently rejected behind-the-scenes entreaties, including alleged offers of financial compensation and strategic political appointments, aimed at resolving the dispute out of court.
The legal challenge stems from the May 2026 primary election for the constituency, in which Dr Daramola reportedly secured a landslide victory, polling 6,547 votes against the alleged 827 votes recorded for the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Jimi Odimayo.
Despite the wide margin recorded at the grassroots ballots, alleged administrative manoeuvres by the party leadership to submit the incumbent’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forced the matter into judicial review.
The Shadow of the Owo/Ose Precedent
The main reason for the heightened tension in Okitipupa/Irele is the significant legal precedent established just days ago by the Court of Appeal in Abuja. On Friday, 10 October, a three-member appellate panel delivered a unanimous judgment affirming Barrister Rotimi Arobo as the authentic APC candidate for the neighbouring Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.
In the landmark ruling, the appellate court dismissed multiple appeals filed by the APC’s national leadership and the incumbent Owo/Ose representative, Hon. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe. The court clarified that political parties cannot arbitrarily substitute or discard the transparent outcome of a validly conducted internal primary election.
Legal observers note that the Owo/Ose verdict has altered the legal terrain in Ondo State. With Dr Daramola’s legal team reportedly submitting extensive documentary evidence, including official primary result sheets, the party’s traditional reliance on administrative discretion is facing intense judicial scrutiny.
The fear that the court may apply the same reasoning from the Owo/Ose case to the Okitipupa/Irele dispute is believed to be driving anxiety across local party lines.
Unyielding Stances and Failed Emissaries
Sources close to the situation indicate that the APC leadership, aware of its vulnerability following the Owo/Ose setback, sought a soft landing. Emissaries allegedly attempted to use traditional channels of consensus by approaching Dr Daramola’s father, the respected former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Professor Claudius Daramola.
The elder Daramola, however, reportedly declined to interfere, indicating that the judicial process should be allowed to run its full course to ensure fairness.
With Dr Daramola’s camp remaining focused strictly on the forthcoming judgment, the APC leadership in Ondo South finds itself in a difficult position.
For the incumbent, Hon. Odimayo, October 19, represents a decisive test of his legislative tenure. For the wider party structure, it is a looming reckoning that could permanently reshape political alignments ahead of the general elections, Starnews NG reports.
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