Crisis appears to be brewing within the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State as five aspirants contesting for the Atisbo/Saki East/Saki West Federal Constituency House of Representatives ticket rejected the party’s planned direct primary, alleging bias, intimidation and violation of electoral guidelines.
The aggrieved aspirants, in an open letter addressed to the Oyo State Chairman of the APC ahead of the Saturday, May 16, 2026 primary election, accused the party leadership of attempting to impose a preferred candidate on members.
The petition was jointly signed by Dr. Yisa Yusuf Oyedemi Muslim, Alhaji Jimoh Adeniyi Akanni, Mr. Kodir Tunde Ajibade, and Dr. Lukman Adisa Salami
The aspirants alleged that the state party leadership had already compromised the integrity of the exercise through what they described as “institutionalised deception.”
According to them, all House of Representatives aspirants across the 14 federal constituencies in the state were summoned to the party secretariat on Thursday where they were allegedly informed that President Bola Tinubu preferred to retain some serving members of the National Assembly.
The aspirants, however, dismissed the claim, insisting that such a position was inconsistent with democratic principles.
“For a state party executive to start a direct primary exercise in this manner does not indicate a leadership desirous of providing a level playing ground,” the letter read.
“We are not convinced that we can get a free, fair and credible internal democracy which is the hallmark of representative governance.”
The politicians also faulted the conduct of the proposed direct primary, alleging that many party members had yet to receive valid membership registration slips needed to participate in the voting process.
“As we are talking, the party has yet to make available to us party membership registration details which is a sine qua non for taking part in the intra-party voting exercise,” the aspirants stated.
They further alleged that only loyalists of a serving lawmaker seeking a fourth term in the House of Representatives had access to old membership cards expected to be used during accreditation.
“This is selective justice and really divisive to which we must never be associated,” they added.
The crisis deepened as the aspirants raised concerns over alleged violence ahead of the primary election.
They claimed that armed thugs invaded a recent APC meeting held at L.A. School, Isale Taba, Saki, threatening members who expressed dissenting opinions.
“A set of thugs armed with axes, cutlasses, cudgels and Fulani cattle sticks stormed the meeting and threatened to whip to order whoever tried to express dissenting views,” the letter alleged.
Describing the incident as “a dress rehearsal of what to expect,” the aspirants warned that the atmosphere surrounding the primary was already tense and unsafe.
The petitioners also accused the party leadership of violating relevant provisions of the Electoral Act guiding direct primaries and consensus arrangements.
Consequently, they called on the APC leadership in Oyo State to suspend the planned exercise and organise a new process that would guarantee transparency and fairness for all aspirants.
“We therefore call on the state secretariat of our party to disregard this game of charade and appoint another auspicious date for a better, free, fair, credible and believable party primary,” the letter stated.
The aspirants warned that failure to address their complaints could force them to seek redress before the party’s appeal committee or approach the court.
Copies of the protest letter were reportedly sent to President Tinubu, the APC National Chairman, the party’s National Organising Secretary, National Publicity Secretary and former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin.