…Says Authentic Primary Results Were Ignored, Insists Matter Is Already In Court
The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) chairmanship and councillorship candidates across the 33 local government areas in Oyo State, have rejected the list of candidates released by the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), insisting that the party’s position is backed by authentic primary election results.
The party maintained that its disagreement with the commission’s released list is not limited to Oriire Local Government Area, stressing that the concerns cut across all 33 local government areas in the state.
APM’s position was contained in a press statement signed on behalf of all the candidates by Hon. Pastor Ojetunde Oluwole Sunday JP, who is the chairmanship candidate in Oriire LGA.
The statement alleged that the names of the candidates released by OYSIEC are not original and registered members of the APM.
It added that the names published by OYSIEC are different from those produced through its primary elections, despite the presence and signatures of officials of the electoral commission and security agencies who monitored the exercises.
Using the August 3, 2026 chairmanship primary election in Oriire Local Government as a specific example, APM stated that the candidates who emerged on the day of the exercise remain the consensus candidates.
According to the statement, the exercise was monitored by officials of OYSIEC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), alongside the party’s Returning Officer, Areo Babatunde, who allegedly signed the original result sheet.
However, the party expressed displeasure that OYSIEC subsequently released a list containing a different name for the APM chairmanship position in all the 33 Local Government Areas, alongside its councillorship candidates.
The party disclosed that it had instituted legal proceedings at the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, challenging what it described as the electoral commission’s alleged double standard in handling the matter.
While acknowledging that the case is now before the court, APM said it would refrain from making further comments on the substantive issues to avoid prejudicing the judicial process.
Reaffirming its position, the party insisted that the original candidates who emerged remains its authentic chairmanship candidate in all the local government areas based on the primary election result of August 3, 2026.
APM called on its members and supporters across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding while awaiting the outcome of the legal proceedings.
The party also urged OYSIEC to respect the rule of law and refrain from taking any action that could undermine or render the pending court proceedings ineffective.
“We do not agree with the list released by OYSIEC for all the Local Government Areas who emerged through consensus on August 3, 2026,” the statement maintained.
APM further stated that it had attached the alleged original result sheet to its press statement as evidence of its claims, expressing confidence that the court would determine the dispute.
The party reiterated its commitment to pursuing the matter through lawful means, urging its members, supporters, women, youths and other stakeholders across Oyo State to remain steadfast and await the court’s decision.
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