Members of the All Progressives Congress in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday staged a protest at the Government House, Abeokuta, over alleged moves to impose candidates for the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats.
The aggrieved party members, who turned out in large numbers alongside local leaders and grassroots supporters, insisted that candidates for the federal constituency must emerge through credible primary elections in line with existing zoning arrangements.
The protesters, drawn from the Ijebu federal constituency comprising Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside local governments, accused unnamed party stakeholders of attempting to sideline Ijebu East in the distribution of political offices.
Speaking during the protest, one of the leaders, Adewale Adeboye, popularly known as Jaro, decried what he described as prolonged marginalisation of the area in the House of Representatives seat.
“We are not here for anything other than fairness. For about 12 years now, this position has been occupied from the same axis. There are indications it may be extended to 16 years. That is not acceptable to us. It is our turn, and that must be respected,” he said.
The demonstrators warned that any attempt to impose candidates could undermine the party’s chances in future elections, recalling past experiences where unpopular choices allegedly resulted in electoral setbacks.
“We lost in the past because candidates were imposed on us. We don’t want a repeat. Let the people decide through primaries. That is the only way to guarantee victory for the party,” another protester said.
They also raised concerns over alleged plans to influence the State House of Assembly ticket, insisting that both positions must reflect equity, fairness and grassroots acceptability.
Responding on behalf of the state government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, appealed for calm, stressing that the party operates within constitutional guidelines.
He said the process of candidate selection in the APC follows established procedures and dismissed the allegations as speculative.
“I have listened to your concerns. As party members, you should understand that there are laid-down procedures for selecting candidates. The party constitution is clear, and decisions are not made arbitrarily,” Taiwo said.
He urged the protesters to verify their claims and channel grievances through appropriate party structures rather than public demonstrations.
“Not everything you hear is accurate. However, your concerns have been noted and will be communicated to the governor,” he added.
Despite the assurances, the protesters maintained that their action was necessary to draw attention to what they described as ongoing political manoeuvres, vowing to monitor developments closely.
“We are waiting for the governor’s response. All we want is a fair process that allows party members to choose their candidates,” one of the leaders said.
The demonstrators, however, expressed hope that the party leadership would address their grievances to avert internal crisis ahead of forthcoming elections.
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