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Ekiti Primary Crisis: Bamidele, Bamisile, others Awaits APC National leadership for Redress

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Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon femi Bamisile
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…Says they won’t dump the party

All Progressives Congress governorship aspirants in Ekiti State, including the Senator representing Ekiti Central, Opeyemi Bamidele and a House of Representatives member, Hon Femi Bamisile have said they are waiting for the national leadership of the party to address the crisis that characterised the January 27, 2022 primary.

Addressing his campaign team across the 16 local government area in Ado Ekiti, Senator Bamidele, at the joint press briefing with Bamisile, formally rejected  the outcome of the primary that produced Biodun Oyebanji, after due consultations with supporters and called on the leadership of the Party to cancel the primary.

“The leadership of the party must take the right step and this must start by  them submitting  a dummy name to INEC and use the two weeks window available as contained in the Electoral Act  to do what is right in this matter. I can be quoted that the name that will be taken to INEC  in Abuja will be dummy name, so those celebrating should do that in moderation”.

Senator Bamidele said there are no intension to dump from the ruling party while they are seeking for justice

They said as much as they won’t dump the party, the aspirants posited that  they won’t hesitate to stay inside the party and teach it a bitter lesson over the alleged electoral fraud  perpetrated during the primary using political and legal means.

“If it is part of their calculation that we will leave the party for them, they are making a mistake. We are still waiting for the national leadership on our collective position. We have filed petitions and if they endorse that impunity they called primary, it will be clear that we have exhausted all the internal mechamisms for crisis resolution  and we can frim there  return to the court of law”.

The Senator added that all the alleged shenanigans and breach of party’s constitution perpetrated by Governor Abubakar Badaru-led Primary Committee will be addressed politically and legally to teach APC a lesson it will never forget.

Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon femi Bamisile

Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon femi Bamisile

Reeling out how the election was allegedly manipulated, Bamidele stated that the Badaru-led Committee hijacked the process by distributing materials a day before election, changed collation centres, and arbitrarily appointed those that would do Oyebanji’s biddings to compromise the process and subvert the will of the people.

“The Ad hoc staff were to be adopted for the conduct of the poll, because it was assumed that every member in Ekiti would have taken position. When you talk of ad hoc staff, it means those that would be  brought from the national Secretariat of the party or APC members from other states.

“The process was totally hijacked by Badaru committee. What we saw was seeing  people who were campaign managers, sponsors and promoters of Biodun Oyebanji being appointed and saddled with the responsibility of being Returning Officers in the 16 local governments.

“The election materials were to be distributed early on Thursday before the start of the primary and  to be distributed in the presence of agents of aspirants , INEC, security chiefs and monitoring teams. But  materials, both sensitive and nonsensitive,  were distributed the previous night. We got calls that as of 11pm, Governor Badaru had handed over materials to Returning Officers from the 16 councils.

“Out of the  16 Returning Officers appointed,   11 of them were with  Oyebanji when he  collected  his expression of interest form at the party Secretariat in Abuja.

“In several of our local governments, the venues of our collation centres were changed. At the appropriate time, we will give evidence that will put all of us in  public court and that will be useful  in the court of law. Available INEC report shows that there was no voting, no valid primary election in Ekiti.

“One thing I can assure you is that the last is yet to be heard about the Ekiti governorship  primary. We will not stop at anything seeking for justice. We should take every step that will challenge this political misbehaviour from repeating itself in future, so that politicians can learn how to take caution and be civil.

“Majority of Ekiti people are seriously disappointed with the way the election went. I thought the election would be free and fair, because I thought Dr. Kayode Fayemi won’t get involved in things that will deprive the party of free and fair process and that he will provide for a level playing ground. Only history will judge me whether I was right or not . I thought I knew him, but I didn’t know that I did t know him quite enough”.

In his submission, Bamisile, warned the security agencies against threatening people with arrest over the APC governorship crisis, saying such will not work.

“This is our state, we are fighting for what we believe in , this is a democracy where everyone has the right to support whoever  he likes. The police shouldn’t threaten us with arrest. Nobody can stop this, the only thing they can do to stop us is to allow justice in our party.

“Whatever votes they have allotted to us will reflect on the day of election. We won’t leave this  party, but not leaving does not mean that APC will not be taught a lesson.This is not a threat, but a prophesy that will come to pass. We are not going anywhere, but if the party doesn’t do it right, they will be taught a lesson they will never forget”.

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Ekiti APC Primary: Akinlayo Davidson Dismisses Thuggery Allegation

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The member representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II in the House of Representatives, Akinlayo Kolawole Davidson, has dismissed allegations linking him to the sponsorship of thugs to disrupt the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Ekiti State.

 

In a statement issued on Thursday, the lawmaker described the allegation as “malicious, baseless and misleading,” accusing political opponents of attempting to tarnish his reputation ahead of the party’s primary election.

 

According to the statement, Hon. Davidson remains committed to peaceful and credible democratic processes and has never encouraged or financed violence in any form.

 

The lawmaker stressed that he is a loyal member of the APC who has consistently advocated transparent and violence-free elections within the party and beyond.

 

He further stated that he remains the only aspirant in Ekiti North Federal Constituency II to have campaigned across all the 32 wards in the constituency, where he engaged directly with party members and stakeholders on issues affecting development, unity and progress.

 

The statement added that his grassroots support and acceptance across the constituency make any resort to violence unnecessary and contrary to his political beliefs.

 

Hon. Davidson also denied any connection with individuals allegedly arrested over acts of thuggery, insisting that they are not members of his campaign structure.

 

The statement claimed that available information indicated that the suspects were non-state actors allegedly working with and on the payroll of the state government, adding that attempts to link them to the lawmaker were deliberate efforts to mislead party members and the public.

 

While calling on party supporters to disregard the allegation, the federal lawmaker urged security agencies to remain vigilant and investigate individuals spreading falsehood capable of creating tension within the APC.

 

He reaffirmed his commitment to peace, party unity and the continued development of Ekiti North Federal Constituency II and Ekiti State at large.

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City Boy Movement Calls for Peace Ahead of APC Primaries in Ekiti

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The City Boy Movement has appealed to aspirants, party leaders and supporters participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) National and State Assembly primary elections in Ekiti State to embrace peace and shun violence during the exercise.

 

 

In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Friday by the Director of Media and Communications of the movement, Alofe Ayodele Moses, the group urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves with restraint and maturity as the primaries commence.

 

 

The movement stressed the need to preserve the peaceful atmosphere currently being enjoyed in the state under the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, noting that no political ambition should lead to bloodshed or crisis within the party.

 

 

According to the statement, the APC was founded on the principles of justice and equity, expressing confidence in the party leadership to conduct a fair, transparent and credible primary election.

 

 

The group stated that democracy thrives on healthy competition rather than intimidation, violence or desperation, adding that all aspirants and their supporters should place the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions.

 

 

The City Boy Movement also urged contestants and their supporters to peacefully accept the outcome of the primaries and avoid actions capable of overheating the political atmosphere in the state.

 

 

 

It further called on security agencies and party officials to remain proactive and impartial in maintaining law and order before, during and after the exercise.

 

 

 

The statement added that temporary political differences should not be allowed to divide members of the party, stressing that all stakeholders remain part of the same progressive family despite the contest.

 

 

 

The movement wished all aspirants success in the primaries and expressed optimism that the exercise would strengthen the unity, stability and electoral fortunes of the APC in Ekiti State.

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Ekiti Police, INEC Meet APC Aspirants Ahead of Reps Primaries

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The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Ekiti State has warned aspirants contesting the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries against violence, thuggery and hate speech ahead of the exercise scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026.

 

The warning was issued during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday at the Police Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, where security agencies and electoral officials met with APC aspirants participating in the primaries.

 

The meeting was attended by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State and Chairman of ICCES, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, alongside the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police and Co-Chairman of ICCES, Falade Adegoroye Micheal, as well as other members of the committee.

 

Speaking at the meeting, Omoseyindemi said the gathering became necessary to ensure peaceful, free, fair and credible conduct of the primaries. He urged aspirants to avoid acts capable of causing breakdown of law and order before, during and after the election.

 

The REC specifically cautioned politicians against the use of thugs, violence and inflammatory statements, stressing that all stakeholders must work together to sustain peace and democratic stability in the state.

 

Also addressing the aspirants, Commissioner of Police Falade disclosed that security agencies had received intelligence reports indicating that some individuals were allegedly planning to disrupt the primaries.

 

He warned that anyone found engaging in violence or any act capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of the exercise would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

 

Other ICCES members also advised the aspirants to embrace peace and conduct themselves responsibly throughout the electoral process.

 

As part of resolutions reached at the meeting, all aspirants signed an undertaking committing themselves to maintaining peace, political stability and democratic order before, during and after the APC primaries.

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