Ondo APC Crisis Deepens as Aspirants Reject Consensus Candidate List, Opt for Primaries

The APC’s attempt to adopt consensus candidates for legislative elections in Ondo State has collapsed after aspirants and lawmakers rejected the process over alleged exclusion and imposition, signaling deeper divisions within the party.

A planned consensus arrangement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State to produce candidates for the forthcoming legislative elections has broken down amid mounting opposition from party aspirants and serving lawmakers, deepening internal divisions within the ruling party.

The consensus process, initiated during a stakeholders’ meeting led by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, was designed to streamline the emergence of candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly seats.

However, the meeting ended without agreement as several party members rejected what they described as an attempt to impose preferred aspirants under the guise of consensus.

Sources within the party disclosed that 10 representatives from each local government area were invited to the meeting to deliberate on a proposed list of candidates. But the process immediately came under criticism, with allegations that many of those selected were loyalists of aspirants allegedly favoured by influential figures in the state chapter of the party.

Party insiders also claimed that several prominent APC leaders across the state were excluded from the meeting, raising concerns over transparency and fairness.

One party source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the exercise as a pre-arranged effort to legitimise a predetermined list.

“This was not a genuine consensus meeting. It was an attempt to formalise an already prepared arrangement to impose candidates. Many respected party leaders were not invited, while those selected were largely loyal to aspirants believed to have the backing of the state leadership,” the source said.

The source further alleged that the pattern of exclusion cut across the three senatorial districts in the state—Ondo North, Ondo Central, and Ondo South—with many major stakeholders left out of the process.

According to the insider, some aspirants believed to be favoured by the party hierarchy had prior knowledge of the meeting, while others remained unaware until after the arrangements had been concluded.

The controversy has triggered resistance from within the party, with no fewer than 10 aspirants reportedly rejecting the consensus plan and declaring their readiness to contest in the primary elections.

Several of the aggrieved aspirants are said to be preparing to travel to Abuja to obtain nomination forms from the APC national secretariat.

One of the aspirants reportedly said:

“We are going to pick our forms and contest. The so-called consensus arrangement has no legitimacy and will not stand.”

The situation took another dramatic turn as indications emerged that the APC national secretariat had also refused to endorse the alleged consensus list submitted by party leaders in Ondo.

Sources in Abuja said the proposed list had been forwarded to the national leadership even before the stakeholders’ meeting was held in Akure, further fuelling allegations that the process had been predetermined.

A source familiar with the development at the party’s national headquarters reportedly confirmed that the list was rejected because due process was not followed.

“A list was submitted here before the stakeholders’ meeting in Ondo, but the party leadership rejected it because the process was flawed. If aspirants decide to buy forms and participate in the primaries, they are within their rights,” the source said.

The rejection of the list by the national secretariat has emboldened lawmakers and aspirants opposed to the arrangement, many of whom are now openly distancing themselves from the consensus process.

Some serving lawmakers seeking re-election have reportedly declared their intention to contest in the party primaries rather than accept the state’s consensus arrangement.

One lawmaker, speaking anonymously, said:

“We will purchase our forms and test our popularity in the primaries. The party must allow internal democracy.”

The internal crisis is said to have worsened concerns among supporters of Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as many stakeholders aligned with him were allegedly excluded from the process.

Observers say the exclusion of major political blocs within the party could widen existing cracks and undermine APC’s unity in Ondo State ahead of the elections.

Political analysts warn that unless the party leadership urgently addresses the grievances raised by aspirants and stakeholders, the dispute could weaken the APC’s electoral chances and trigger deeper factional battles.

The collapse of the consensus arrangement has now placed the party at a crossroads, with the leadership expected to decide whether to revisit the process or allow open primaries.

For many within the APC in Ondo State, the unfolding crisis has become a test of the party’s commitment to internal democracy, inclusiveness, and political fairness.

As the deadline for nominations approaches, all eyes will be on the party leadership to determine whether it can restore unity or risk entering the elections divided.