Hundreds of concerned stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ekiti State, on Friday, thronged the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to protest the disqualification of one of the frontline governorship aspirants, Engr. Kayode Ojo, from the forthcoming party primary.
The angry party members, who converged on the Blantyre Street national secretariat on Friday, expressed their dismay over the development, insisting that the screening committee’s decision to exclude Ojo was unjust, undemocratic, and a deliberate attempt to impose a consensus candidate on the state.
The protesters, drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Women say no to consensus candidate,” “Eko must not be disqualified,” “We support Eko, Eko will triumph,” “We want governorship primary,” “APC NWC should give Eko right to primary,” “Let the people go to the field to exercise their political rights,” “We say no to political harassment,” “Ekiti women reject BAO,” and “Eko’s disqualification is political harassment.”
They called on the Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to urgently intervene and reverse what they termed a politically motivated decision capable of tearing the party apart ahead of the 2026 governorship poll.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief (Mrs.) Bolanle Owolabi described Ojo’s disqualification as an affront to democratic ideals and a calculated move to undermine the will of the people.
She said the people of Ekiti have found in Ojo a trustworthy and competent leader who represents the best hope for inclusive governance and development in the state.
She said, “Let the national leadership of the party know what we are passing through in Ekiti State. All Ekiti people need Kayode Ojo to be our next governor in 2026 because he is a man of honesty, loyalty and accountability. I don’t support consensus—there is no consensus. We need a primary because people are ready to vote for him. People love him.”
Owolabi further argued that Ojo’s inclusion in the race would strengthen the APC’s chances of victory, not only in the 2026 governorship election but also in the 2027 general elections, as his popularity would translate into strong grassroots mobilisation and overwhelming support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She added, “With Ojo on the ballot, President Bola Tinubu is assured of the unalloyed support of Ekiti people. Any attempt to sideline him will weaken the party’s base and embolden the opposition.”
Other speakers at the protest warned the party leadership against any move to manipulate the process in favour of a preferred aspirant, noting that such actions could trigger internal crises similar to what the party experienced in past election cycles.
They insisted that only a transparent primary election would restore confidence among party members and demonstrate the APC’s commitment to fairness and internal democracy.
As of press time, neither the APC national leadership nor the screening committee had officially responded to the protesters’ grievances.
However, sources within the party hinted that the leadership may convene an emergency meeting to review the petition lodged by Ojo’s campaign organisation challenging his disqualification.
