By Ayodele Oni
Chairmen of the 18 local government areas in Ondo state have demanded intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the rejection of the list containing names of winners of primary election to the national Assembly by National Working Committee’s (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking under the umbrella of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Ondo State chapter, the council chairmen insisted that the names eventually announced by the party’s national leadership did not reflect the outcomes of the primary elections conducted across the state.
Addressing journalists in Akure, the ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Akure South Local Government, Gbenga Fasua, said the appeal was not an act of rebellion against the party leadership, but a plea to preserve the credibility of the APC’s internal democratic process.
According to him, the primary elections held between May 16 and 23, 2026, were conducted by duly constituted electoral committees, monitored by party stakeholders and local government chairmen, and produced winners through what he described as a transparent process.
Fasua stated that the council chairmen were alarmed when candidates different from those declared at the primaries eventually emerged on the list released by the APC National Working Committee.
He stressed that, as chairmen and chief security officers of their respective local government areas, they witnessed the conduct of the primaries and the announcement of the results.
“We are not here to protest. We are making an appeal to the National Working Committee and to Mr. President because we were physically present during the elections. We monitored the process and we know those who emerged from the exercise.”
He added that the chairmen remained loyal members of the APC and would ultimately abide by whatever decision the party reached.
“If the National Working Committee does not agree with our position, we are not making a protest. Whatever decision the party takes is supreme, and we shall abide by it because we are party loyalists.”
The ALGON chairman maintained that their intervention was driven by the need to defend the sanctity of the votes cast by party members and to sustain confidence in the APC’s internal electoral process.
He said the appeal represented the collective position of the 18 local government chairmen and reflected the wishes of party members at the grassroots.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the chairmen urged the President to intervene by ensuring that the authentic results submitted by the electoral committees were upheld, insisting that doing so would strengthen internal democracy, restore confidence among party faithful and promote unity within the Ondo APC.
The latest intervention comes days after the APC National Working Committee approved sweeping substitutions of National Assembly candidates in Ondo State following the review of petitions arising from the primaries.
Under the reviewed list, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN) replaced Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti as the APC candidate for Ondo Central Senatorial District, while Senator Olajide Ipinsagba displaced Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye in Ondo North. The Ondo South Senatorial District ticket remained unchanged with Hon. Isaacs Kekemeke retaining the nomination.
For the House of Representatives, Hon. Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke in Ilaje/Ese Odo Federal Constituency, while Hon. Festus Akingbaso emerged in place of Hon. Rasaq Obe for Idanre/Ifedore.
The NWC also substituted Hon. Kayode Adejana with Hon. Dr. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, replaced Hon. Olumuyiwa Daramola with Hon. Okunjimi John Odimayo for Okitipupa/Irele, removed Dr. Abiola Makinde for Hon. Dr. Michael Olajide Akintomide in Ondo East/Ondo West, and replaced Oyerinmade Matthew with Hon. Festus Ayodele Adefiranye for Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency.
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