By Olumide Akinrinlola
In the high-stakes theatre of Nigerian politics, ” consensus ” is often whispered as a polite synonym for imposition. However, for the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially as the spotlight turns towards the State and National Assembly elections across Ondo State ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, the law is far less ambiguous than the politics.
While many believe a party’s “anointed” candidate represents a finality, a deep dive into the APC Constitution and the Electoral Act reveals a different reality: the power actually lies with the aspirants, not solely the party hierarchy.
The Law of Mutual Agreement
Under Article 20.2(a) of the APC Constitution (as amended), there are three paths to securing the APC ticket: Direct Primaries, Indirect Primaries, or Consensus.
However, “consensus” is not a decree; it is a contract. According to the party’s guidelines, derived from Article 13, consensus can only exist where there is a “mutual agreement.” If a single cleared aspirant says “No,” the consensus bubble bursts.
The Electoral Act: The Ultimate Shield
The Nigerian legal system reinforces this. Sections 84(9) and (10) of the Electoral Act 2026 serve as guardrails against backroom deals: Section 84(9) demands the written consent of every cleared aspirant before a consensus candidate can be validated.
Section 84(10) is even more blunt: if that written consent is missing, the party must conduct primaries.
The Ondo Litmus Test
This brings us to the current situation in Ondo State. With aspirants for State and National Assembly picking up forms for direct primaries, the “consensus” narrative is hitting a constitutional brick wall.
By refusing to relinquish their rights, aggrieved aspirants are effectively triggering their right to a primary. This isn’t “anti-party” activity; it is the exercise of constitutional democracy. Calling the demand for fair primaries ‘anti-party’ is a blatant attempt to stifle democracy and ignore the will of the people and fundamentally undemocratic and dismissive of the electorate of the party.
No candidate should bank on a coronation under the guise of an arrangement. If the APC is to follow its own rules, then the road to the party’s ticket must pass through direct primaries, not merely a boardroom.
Now that nearly all the aspirants have collected their forms, the lines are drawn. Let the popularity test begin. This is is my take on the APC consensus arrangements in Ondo. I mean no harm. I come in peace!.
Olumide Akinrinlola is a journalist, activist, pastor, and publisher of Starnews NG.
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