Ekiti APC Primary: Senatorial Aspirant Rejects Result, Demands Fresh Election

A senatorial aspirant for the Ekiti North Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Oluwadare Owolabi, has rejected the outcome of the party’s primary election held on Monday, May 18, 2026, alleging widespread irregularities, violence and manipulation during the exercise.

Addressing journalists shortly after the primary conducted across Ikole, Oye, Moba, Ilejemeje and Ido-Osi local government areas of Ekiti State, Owolabi called for the immediate cancellation of the election and the conduct of a fresh, transparent process.

The APC chieftain described the exercise as flawed and inconsistent with democratic principles, insisting that the process could not be regarded as a credible primary election.

According to him, there was no proper accreditation of delegates, while vote counting was allegedly marred by irregularities and inconsistencies.

“What happened yesterday cannot be described as a free and fair election. There was no proper accreditation and the votes were not counted the way they should have been counted,” Owolabi stated.

He further alleged that officials deployed to supervise the exercise were largely government employees, a situation he claimed compromised the neutrality and integrity of the primary.

Owolabi also accused the organisers of creating confusion at the venue, saying the situation degenerated into chaos and forced party members and supporters to flee for safety.

“People ran for their lives because the venue became chaotic. I consider what happened an act of terrorism against democracy,” he said.

The aspirant rejected the official result announced after the exercise, maintaining that the figures allocated to him did not reflect the actual votes cast by his supporters. While the official results reportedly credited him with over 2,800 votes, Owolabi claimed records from his agents and supporters showed he secured about 4,341 votes.

“The result announced yesterday was not correct. The votes attributed to me were far below what my supporters confirmed,” he added.

He therefore urged the party leadership to nullify the exercise and organise another primary election that would guarantee fairness, transparency and justice for all aspirants.

“What took place was not an election but an imposition. The primary should be cancelled and conducted properly in the interest of fairness and justice,” Owolabi declared.

The senatorial aspirant also disclosed plans to establish a foundation aimed at supporting individuals interested in social and political development, noting that the initiative would focus on empowering people willing to contribute meaningfully to society and participate actively in politics.