Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries scheduled for Friday, some National and State Assembly aspirants in Ondo State have raised the alarm over an alleged plot to deploy thugs to disrupt the exercise.
The aggrieved aspirants, who are seeking the party’s tickets for the 2027 elections and are drawn from the 203 wards across the state, accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of endorsing certain preferred candidates without broader consultation.
Speaking on behalf of the group in Akure on Thursday, House of Representatives aspirant Jimi Adekanle described the development as unfair and anti-democratic.
He alleged that plans were in place to violently attack aspirants not on the governor’s list and their supporters at the primary venues.
“Reports have it that the thugs were instructed to violently attack any aspirants outside his (the governor’s) list and their supporters at the venues of the scheduled primaries, assuring them that the attacks would be carried out under the cover of personnel from the Nigerian Army, State Security Service, police, and NSCDC,” Adekanle said.
He added that another meeting was reportedly scheduled for financial mobilisation and logistical coordination of the planned attacks, describing it as “an ominous development and certainly a threat to participatory democracy.”
The aspirants called on the National Chairman of the APC, party leadership, and heads of security agencies to intervene urgently to prevent any breakdown of law and order that could affect the party’s unity and the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, dismissed the claims, insisting that Governor Aiyedatiwa could not be involved in any act of violence.
“The governor can never be involved in such an act. As the party leader in the state, he has been making efforts to ensure a hitch-free and credible primary, not to sponsor violence,” Ajanaku said.
He noted that the governor is committed to maintaining orderliness in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directives and urged all aspirants and party members to ensure the exercise remains peaceful, transparent, and devoid of rancour.
The development highlights rising tensions within the Ondo APC as the party prepares for its primaries
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