HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes on how the consensus arrangement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State backfired, leading to the resolve by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to change the list which initially emanated from the state. Ondo state APC’s consensus arrangement and the party National Working Committee’s substitution of National Assembly candidates triggered a power struggle and deepened internal divisions in Ondo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Rather than serving as a rallying point for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, the party’s National Assembly primaries in Ondo State have opened a new chapter in its internal power struggle. What should have been a routine exercise to consolidate the party’s electoral strength rather exposed the deep-seated rivalries, intensified the battle for political supremacy and triggered one of the most profound crises to confront the ruling party in the state in recent years.
The controversy surrounding the conduct of the primaries and the subsequent substitution of some candidates has not only deepened divisions within the APC, but also raised fundamental questions about internal democracy, party cohesion and the electoral consequences of unresolved grievances.
The crisis was further exacerbated by the subsequent substitution of some candidates who had emerged from the primaries, a move that provoked widespread protests, deepening existing fault lines and reignited long-standing rivalries among the various political tendencies within the APC.
Although the APC national leadership has maintained that the substitutions were based on the recommendations of its Primary Election Appeal Committee after reviewing petitions from dissatisfied aspirants, many party faithful believe that the developments go far beyond mere procedural corrections. To many political analysts, the crisis reflects a broader struggle for political control, influence and the future direction of the APC in the state.
On the surface, the dispute appears to centre on who flies the APC’s flag in a handful of National Assembly constituencies, but beneath it, however, lies a fierce struggle for party supremacy, political influence and control of the APC structure ahead of the 2027 elections in the state.
The has its roots in the build-up to the party’s primaries, when Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the state party’s leadership embraced and championed the adoption of a consensus arrangement to produce candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The governor defended the consensus option as a legitimate mechanism provided for under the APC constitution, arguing that it would minimise acrimony, foster party unity and avert divisive contests. This, however, immediately generated controversy, with many of the serving lawmakers and other aspirants alleging that influential figures within the party were seeking to use the process to sideline them in favour of their preferred candidates.
The disagreement deepened when some aspirants rejected the consensus arrangement, insisting they were neither consulted nor willing to step down. They argued that having purchased nomination forms and mobilised support across their constituencies, and that they had every right to test their popularity at the primaries and pledged to abide by the outcome of a free and credible contest.
Of the nine House of Representatives consensus candidates endorsed by the governor, only two incumbents, Ife Ehindero of Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency and Abiola Makinde, Ondo East/Ondo West made the list.
While Olumuyiwa Daramola (Okitipupa/Irele), Omowunmi Olatunji-Ohwovoriole (Akure North/Akure South), Tajudeen Adefisoye (Idanre/Ifedore), Samuel Arowele (Owo/Ose), Ategbole Victor (Akoko South East/Akoko South West), Leke Akingboye (Ilaje/Ese-Odo) and Mathew Oyerinde (Ileoluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo) were chosed to replace seven serving lawmakers seeking re-election.
The consensus arrangements also backed Isaac Kekemeke for Ondo South Senatorial District, Taiwo Fasoranti for Ondo Central and Gbenga Elegbeleye for Ondo North. This move is seen by other political blocs in the state as a calculated move to fill the APC legislative caucus with Aiyedatiwa’s loyalists and also to tighten the governor’s political grip ahead of future contests, ignoring the division that may erupt from this political decisions.
Despite the opposition, the APC went ahead with its primaries amid allegations of candidate imposition, selective disqualification, disruption of the process and other irregularities. Although candidates eventually emerged, the exercise failed to calm tensions, as several aggrieved aspirants petitioned the party’s Primary Election Appeal Committee, challenging both the conduct and outcome of the primaries.
Following a flood of petitions from dissatisfied aspirants, the NWC, acting on the recommendations of its Appeal Committee, reviewed the outcome of some of the primaries and approved a revised list that replaced several candidates, including some from Ondo State. Many of the Aiyedatiwa’s consensus candidates, failed to make the final list except Kekemeke and Olatunji-Ohwovoriole.
The release of the revised candidates’ list dealt a significant political setback to Aiyedatiwa and his camp, with many political observers describing it as a humbling moment for the governor. Having championed the consensus arrangement and reportedly backed many of the affected aspirants, Aiyedatiwa had appeared poised to consolidate his influence over the APC’s National Assembly caucus.
However, the NWC intervention upended those calculations, substantially reducing the number of his preferred candidates on the final list and reaffirming the supremacy of the party’s national leadership in determining nominations. The decision sparked protests from supporters of the displaced aspirants, who accused the NWC of overturning the mandate freely given by delegates during the primaries.
The protests, led largely by women and youths, spread across Akure, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo town and Ore where demonstrators demanded the restoration of the original primary winners.
The demonstrations drew sharp criticism from rival party groups, which described them as an affront to the APC’s internal dispute resolution mechanism and the principle of party supremacy, arguing that the participation of some government appointees and political office holders in Aiyedatiwa’s administration amounted to an aberration and undermined party discipline.
While Aiyedatiwa’s supporters insisted the revised National Assembly list was an injustice, the opposing camps maintain that the NWC merely exercised its constitutional powers after reviewing petitions and the recommendations of the Appeal Committee. According to the group, the substitutions were neither arbitrary nor politically motivated but were intended to protect the integrity of the party’s primary process and avert avoidable legal disputes ahead of the 2027 elections.
The groups also condemned the protests that followed the release of the revised list, insisting that grievances should be resolved through the APC’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms rather than public demonstrations capable of portraying the party as divided. The group further alleged that the protests were orchestrated to pressure the party’s national leadership into reversing its decision, a claim consistently denied by supporters of Aiyedatiwa.
Aligning with Aiyedatiwa’s position, the 18 local government chairmen under the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the APC leadership to uphold what they described as the authentic outcome of the primaries.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, Gbenga Fasua, maintained that the exercise was transparent, peaceful and credible, stressing that their intervention was not a protest against the party leadership but an appeal to preserve the integrity of the primary elections.
He said: “Whatever the party decides is supreme and we shall abide by it. Our appeal is simply that the results announced at the primaries should be respected,”
On the other side of the divide, the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG), the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) Elders Forum and other APC stakeholders rallied behind the NWC, insisting that the revised National Assembly list was a product of due process following petitions and the recommendations of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.
They argued that the substitutions were aimed at protecting the integrity of the party’s nomination process and preventing avoidable legal disputes. While faulting the street protests that followed the release of the revised list, they maintained that aggrieved aspirants should seek redress through the party’s internal mechanisms rather than public demonstrations capable of portraying the APC as a divided house.
The PBAT Elders Forum also urged party members to place the collective interest of the APC above personal ambitions, warning that prolonged internal disputes could undermine the party’s cohesion in Ondo State and affect President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. The forum’s Chairman, Hon. (Chief) Demola Ijabiyi, commended President Tinubu, the APC National Chairman and members of the NWC for what he described as their courage, fairness and fidelity to the party’s constitution. He said the review of the candidates’ list vindicated the forum’s longstanding opposition to what it alleged was an attempt to impose preferred candidates in Ondo State.
But to many political onlookers in the state, the crisis within the APC in the state appears to go beyond candidate substitution. While many political observers believe the controversy is fundamentally about power, some party officials described the exercise as a necessary internal correction aimed at protecting the integrity of the nomination process.
It was noticed that since the death of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the emergence of Aiyedatiwa as the leader of the APC in the state, the party has increasingly become a coalition of competing interests, with various political blocs jostling to consolidate their influence ahead of future elections.
Against this backdrop, the National Assembly tickets have assumed strategic significance, serving not merely as election nominations but as instruments for political relevance, influence and control of the party structure.
For every political tendency within the APC, control of National Assembly seats extends beyond legislative representation. It offers influence over federal appointments, access to grassroots political structures, greater bargaining power within the party hierarchy and a stronger foothold ahead of future contests, including the next governorship succession. Consequently, the current dispute has become a defining test of which political bloc truly controls the APC in the state.
At the centre of the unfolding drama is Governor Aiyedatiwa, who, having secured his own electoral mandate, is widely seen as consolidating his leadership of the APC by positioning loyalists in key political offices.
On the other side is the political bloc associated with the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, which many political observers believe also wielded considerable influence in the emergence of many National Assembly candidates. The competing interests between the governor’s camp and the Tunji-Ojo tendency have further heightened the struggle for dominance within the APC in the state.
Also on the opposing side are political actors, whose influence predates the current administration, including loyalists of the late Akeredolu, serving and former federal lawmakers, and other grassroots power brokers determined to protect their political structures and relevance.
Towering above the competing blocs, however, is the APC NWC, whose decision to review and alter some of the primary results reaffirmed the supremacy of the party’s national leadership in resolving internal disputes. In doing so, the NWC underscored the reality that while governors wield considerable influence within their state chapters, the final authority over party nominations ultimately rests with the national leadership.
The NWC’s intervention has added another layer of complexity to the Ondo APC crisis, with many analysts describing it as the unofficial start of the battle for the 2027 elections. Beyond the dispute over candidate nominations lies a broader contest for political influence, as control of the state’s National Assembly caucus could shape future negotiations over federal appointments, party structures and the next governorship succession.
This explains the intensity of the crisis. In Ondo politics, National Assembly seats are more than legislative positions; they are strategic assets for consolidating political influence, rewarding loyalists and strengthening bargaining power ahead of future electoral contests.
However, the APC crisis in Ondo extends beyond the state, with potential implications for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. As one of the APC’s traditional strongholds in the South-West, Ondo is expected to deliver substantial votes, but prolonged internal divisions could weaken grassroots mobilisation, dampen party enthusiasm and create openings for the opposition.
As political observers often note, electoral victory depends not only on the popularity of candidates but also on the unity and effectiveness of party structures.
Some seasoned political observers have argued that the greatest threat to any political party is often not open defection but silent rebellion from within. Aggrieved aspirants and their supporters may choose to remain in the APC yet quietly withdraw from campaigns, withhold financial and logistical support or refuse to mobilise voters on election day.
History has shown that such passive resistance can be as damaging as outright defections, often weakening a party’s electoral strength and undermining its chances at the polls.
One consequence that cannot be ruled out is prolonged litigation, as some displaced aspirants who insist they validly emerged from the primaries may seek judicial redress. If not resolved quickly, such cases could distract the APC throughout the campaign season, create uncertainty over its candidates, weaken campaign coordination and divert the party’s attention and resources from electioneering.
Although Nigerian courts are generally reluctant to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties, they have consistently entertained cases involving alleged breaches of party constitutions, nomination procedures and electoral guidelines.
Beyond the legal implications, protracted court battles could deepen existing divisions within the Ondo APC, dampen the morale of party supporters and provide opposition parties with an opportunity to exploit the ruling party’s internal crisis.
But despite the deepening crisis, seasoned political observers believe reconciliation remains the APC’s best path to restoring unity. The party has, in the past, resolved post-primary disputes through dialogue, political accommodation and strategic negotiations.
Many expect influential party elders and the national leadership to intensify consultations with aggrieved aspirants to prevent the crisis from degenerating into widespread defections or passive resistance.
Ultimately, the party’s ability to heal its divisions will depend on how successfully it reassures displaced aspirants that they still have a place and a political future within the APC.
However, a former Speaker of House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Olabimtan, expressed optimism that the differences within the APC will be resolved long before the 2027 general elections. The Ondo State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) noted that the disagreements arising from party primaries are not unusual in Nigerian politics and should not be mistaken for an irreparable crisis.
Olabimtan expressed confidence that the party’s leadership at both the national and state levels would reconcile aggrieved stakeholders through dialogue and political accommodation, insisting that the APC has the capacity to manage its internal disputes and present a united front ahead of the elections.
Beyond the controversy over candidate substitution lies a broader struggle for the soul of the APC in Ondo State. At stake are control of the party structure, political influence, loyalty across the 18 local government areas and positioning for future electoral contests. For Aiyedatiwa, it is a test of leadership; for the APC national leadership, a test of party supremacy; for the aggrieved aspirants, a fight for political survival; and for the opposition, an opportunity to capitalise on the ruling party’s divisions.
However, whether the current crisis weakens or ultimately strengthens the APC will depend on how quickly the party reconciles its aggrieved members. If unity is restored, the party could head into the 2027 elections with renewed cohesion.
If the divisions persist, however, they could undermine voter mobilisation, campaign coordination and the APC’s electoral fortunes in Ondo State. But for now, the dispute over candidate substitution has grown into a wider contest for power, influence and control of the APC in the Sunshine state. How the party resolves the crisis could shape not only its performance in the 2027 elections but also the future of its politics in Ondo State.