By Adeola Badru

There was tension at the Oke-Ado Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday as aggrieved party members staged a protest over the conduct of the party’s primaries for the House of Representatives, accusing leaders of imposing candidates and sidelining loyal members.

The protesters, who converged on the party secretariat in large numbers, alleged that the exercise was marred by irregularities, manipulation, and outright disenfranchisement of genuine party stakeholders across several local government areas of the state.

Shouting on top of their voices, saying: “No to Imposition,” “APC Must Respect Internal Democracy,” and “Our Votes Must Count,” the members warned that the alleged injustice could cost the party dearly in future elections, including President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved members, one of the party chieftains, who identified himself as Alhaji Adebayo Akinola, condemned what he described as the “hijack of the democratic process” by influential figures within the party.

“We are deeply disappointed by what happened during the primaries. Party members who have laboured tirelessly for the growth of APC were denied fair participation, while preferred candidates were imposed on us,” he said.

According to him, the development has created anger and frustration among grassroots supporters, many of whom now feel alienated from the party structure.

“If the leadership of the party fails to address these grievances and continues with this style of imposition, APC may face serious consequences in future elections. President Tinubu’s re-election could be threatened because people are already losing confidence in the system,” he warned.

Another protester, Mrs. Funke Adelowo, accused some party leaders in the state of compromising the integrity of the exercise for personal interests.

“This is not the APC we all sacrificed to build. Internal democracy is dying, and if care is not taken, the party will implode from within. We cannot continue to silence genuine members while a few individuals dictate the direction of the party,” she lamented.

The protesters called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene urgently by reviewing the outcome of the primaries and ensuring justice for aggrieved aspirants and their supporters.

“We are appealing to President Tinubu and the national leadership of the party to listen to the cries of ordinary members.“

“If this injustice is allowed to stand, many loyal members may be forced to reconsider their commitment to the party,” another member stated.

Security operatives were deployed around the secretariat to prevent a breakdown of law and order as the protesters chanted solidarity songs and demanded the cancellation of results in some contested areas.

Efforts to get an official reaction from the Oyo State APC leadership proved abortive as of the time of filing this report, as party officials declined comments on the allegations raised by the protesters.