A former senator who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District, Ayodele Arise, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary in Ekiti North, describing the exercise as a sham that casts aspersions on democratic principles.
Arise, an APC chieftain and one of the aspirants in the primary election, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The APC committee that conducted the primary had declared the incumbent senator representing Ekiti North, Cyril Fasuyi, as the winner of the exercise.
However, Arise and other aspirants, including Dipo Bamisaye and Dare Owolabi, rejected the outcome, alleging that the process was manipulated and fraudulent.
Speaking on the disputed primary, Arise said the ruling party was yet to overcome challenges associated with internal democracy.
He said, “When we talk about internal democracy, it is still a very big challenge. It’s one thing for us to have a Constitution; it’s another thing for people to try to circumvent it or the guidelines for any election. That was demonstrated in no small measure when I tried to come back through the primary.
“I knew what was in the pipeline, yet I went into it to prove a point. It will be a shame if some of us pass through this country and still don’t have the voice to correct the anomalies and allow people to practise true democracy. If we don’t want it, it’s a different kettle of fish.
“I really don’t want to overbeat the experience I had during the primary because I believe Mr President and the chairman of the party are looking at all the challenges. I am sure those of us who worked and won our elections will be given our mandate in due course.”
The former lawmaker expressed confidence that the appeal panel constituted by the APC National Working Committee would fairly consider his petition and address the grievances raised by aggrieved aspirants.
“I am not lobbying. But I have put the facts on the table, and I have presented them to those reviewing the election, and I believe we still have men of good conscience at the helm of affairs in this country who know what is right. Moving forward, we should put some guidelines in place to ensure people don’t misunderstand democracy to mean someone in power appointing people to different places.
“We want to showcase the best in our country and prove that we understand democracy. We need to know who voters want to represent them. I agree that there are so many things that have improved in the past 27 years of our electoral process. We have to give kudos to those who fine-tuned the processes.
“I believe, more than anybody else, that our President has been very proactive in terms of fixing some of these challenges, working on them and making corrections before it’s too late. So, as far as the internal democracy within parties is concerned, we still have quite a distance to cover.”
Arise also blamed the recurring disputes in party primaries on the overwhelming influence wielded by sitting governors, arguing that such influence often undermines fair competition.
He said, “The issue of the governor’s influence is still a major problem in trying to get to the Senate, even when you are not contesting against them. The reason is that governance and political office in Nigeria have been seen as a source of wealth accumulation.
“Therefore, unseating a governor who wants to go to the Senate is a very difficult task. That’s because of the quantum of public funds he will be deploying. I don’t know how, actually, we are going to get out of this.”
The APC stalwart also weighed in on Tinubu’s Democracy Day address, describing it as reassuring and reflective of both the administration’s achievements and the challenges confronting the nation.
“It’s a speech of encouragement to Nigerians and a reality to let us know that things just don’t happen as quickly as we expect. If you want to build a house, you will know that it doesn’t have to take six months. Some houses will take one year, depending on the challenges that come with it.
“However, in terms of laying the foundation for an enduring democracy, I think Mr President is actually doing very well to showcase some of his achievements and the things he has planned for the development of this country.”
The latest dispute adds to a growing list of post-primary disagreements within political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, with aggrieved aspirants increasingly turning to appeal panels and the courts to challenge outcomes they consider unfair.
