Tension is rising in Ondo State ahead of the APC primaries as a group of aspirants have raised alarm over alleged plans to use intimidation and violence to influence the outcome of the party’s selection process.
Tension is brewing ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries scheduled for Friday in Ondo State, as a group of National and State Assembly aspirants have raised the alarm over an alleged plot to deploy thugs to disrupt the exercise and intimidate candidates not favored by the state governor.
The concerned aspirants, drawn from across the state’s 203 wards and seeking party tickets to contest the 2027 general elections, voiced their concerns at a press conference in Akure on Thursday.
Speaking on their behalf, House of Representatives aspirant Jimi Adekanle alleged that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had handpicked certain candidates ahead of the primaries without broader consultation, and that plans were underway to violently attack aspirants outside the governor’s preferred list.
Adekanle claimed that the alleged thugs had been instructed to carry out the attacks under the cover of military, police, State Security Service, and NSCDC personnel, effectively shielding the perpetrators from accountability.
He further alleged that another meeting had been planned for logistical coordination and funding of the attacks, describing the development as a serious threat to democratic participation.
The aspirants called on the APC National Chairman, the party’s leadership, and the heads of all relevant security agencies to intervene urgently, warning that the alleged plot could damage party unity, disturb public peace, and undermine confidence in the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the allegations, Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Idowu Ajanaku dismissed the claims outright, insisting that Governor Aiyedatiwa had been working to ensure a peaceful, credible, and transparent primary process.
He stressed that the governor, as the party leader in the state, was committed to upholding order throughout the exercise in line with directives from President Bola Tinubu, and urged all aspirants, party officials, and supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during, and after the primaries.