Ekiti APC Boil As Members Kick Against Return Ticket For  Assembly Members

By Ayodele Oni 

The consensus arrangement put in place by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state to pick candidates for elective positions ahead of next year’s general elections, has ignited another round of crisis within the party.

This is coming as dust raised by the emergence of Governor Biodun Oyebanji through a consensus arrangement is yet to be resolved as one of the aggrieved aspirants is still in Court.

Investigation reveal that some of the incumbents occupying those positions are doing everything possible to retain their seats, while new candidates too are lobbying to be adopted.

Report from the various local governments which make up the state revealed that protests are trailing resolutions to endorse consensus candidates for House of Assembly, Council Chairmanship, as well as Councilorship seat.

Despite that the consensus committee, constituted by the state government, has submitted its report to the leadership of the party, aggrieved candidates continue to besiege  the party secretariat to register their protest.

During one of the exercises at Irepodun/Ifelodun local government, the son of a former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, was reportedly endorsed for the state assembly seat to represent Constituency two.

However, the member currently representing the Constituency, Hakeem Jamiu, a former deputy speaker of the House said he was not aware of any meeting where such decision was arrived at.

Jamiu, who is aspiring for third time, stated  “My attention has been drawn to an online report that I am one of those who  endorsed Mr. Boluwatife Fayose as the consensus House of Assembly Candidate for Irepodun-Ifelodun Constituency II during the Constituency meeting at Iworoko on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

“I wish to state categorically that though I was present, I didn’t participate in the  endorsement and I made my stand known at the meeting. 

“I said at the meeting and in my press  interview that the party has not recommended a consensus arrangement to determine State and National Assemblies primaries.

 “It was only Chairmanship  and Councillorship seats that were to be decided by consensus at the last stakeholders meeting at Jibowu Hall, Government House and no other stakeholders meeting had been held after that.

“As a sitting House of Assembly member, it is embarrassing for me to be invited to a Constituency meeting in my constituency only to be conscripted by ambush to a pre-arranged consensus endorsement.

“In my opinion, the so -called consensus endorsement is premature and preposterous as the party is yet to issue guidelines concerning the primaries to elect state and national Assemblies candidates.

“I trust the APC will allow internal democracy by creating a level playing field for all aspirants as canvassed by the National Secretariat of the APC.

“I also want to mention that I was assaulted and attacked by a ward Councillor who pushed me violently, rough handled me  and threatened to kill me for reasons best known to him. 

“Please I wish to state again for the purpose of clarity that I was not part of the consensus arrangement because consensus means that all stakeholders must agree but this is not the case here. 

“I urge my supporters, friends and well wishers who have been calling me after seeing my picture at the meeting to ignore  the insinuation that i was part of the endorsement.”

Investigation further revealed that some national Assembly members in the state, may not return going by the ongoing agitations among party members that all of them should be dropped to allow new ones to emerge.

Incumbents representing the state at the Green chamber include Opeyemi Bamidele, Ekiti Central, Senate leader ; Cyril Fasuyi, Ekiti North and Yemi Adaramodu, Ekiti South, Senate spokesman.