Consensus Plan Collapses in Ondo as APC Aspirants, Lawmakers Reject State List

Consensus Plan Collapses in Ondo as APC Aspirants, Lawmakers Reject State List

— Abuja Aligns with Aspirants Showing Interest in Competitive Primaries

By Paul Joseph

A high-stakes stakeholders’ meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC convened to forge a consensus among party leaders in Ondo State has collapsed, throwing the candidate selection process for the upcoming legislative elections into uncertainty.

The meeting, held under the leadership of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, aimed to streamline the emergence of candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly through a consensus arrangement.

Our source confirmed that the APC in Ondo State had invited 10 representatives from each Local Government Area (LGA) to deliberate and agree on a unified list of candidates. Sources who spoke with our correspondent alleged that the 10 representatives invited from various local governments were leaders of the party loyal to the favoured and adopted aspirants.

It was gathered that core leaders of the APC in the state were sidelined, as many were not selected to attend the stakeholders’ meeting.

“This is not a consensus but a kangaroo meeting to formalise the arrangement to impose candidates on the party across each local government. 

“How can you call 10 leaders from each local government when invitations were not extended to some of the core APC leaders? The 10 delegates selected per LGA were largely loyalists of candidates allegedly favoured by the state leaders,” a source remarked.

“Imagine, most of the core APC leaders were sidelined; they weren’t invited to the meetings, especially major stakeholders in Ondo North senatorial district.It was the same story in Ondo South and Ondo Central. Major stakeholders of the party were excluded. Interestingly, all the favoured aspirants had prior knowledge of the meeting without the awareness of the other aspirants, as most of those selected for the meeting are already working for those adopted as consensus candidates,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Political Impact News can report that 10 aspirants from the party in Ondo State have rejected the consensus arrangement. In separate interviews with our correspondent, they stated their intention to pick their nomination forms in Abuja before the end of the week to prepare for the primary elections.

In a dramatic twist, the national secretariat has also rejected the consensus list, which had reportedly been submitted to them earlier, even before the said stakeholders’ meeting was held in Akure, amid allegations of bias, exclusion, and predetermined outcomes.

Sources in Abuja told Starnews NG on Tuesday night that some stakeholders had visited the national secretariat from Ondo State to submit a proposed list of candidates even before the official consensus meeting in Akure was held, fuelling suspicions that the process had been prearranged.

A source at the secretariat told our correspondent: “Which meeting are you talking about? That’s not a meeting but a political tactic to formalise an already submitted list. A list has already been submitted to this secretariat, which the leadership of the party vehemently rejected because the proper procedures were not followed. “I won’t be surprised if aspirants are coming here to buy nomination forms for the primary election,” the source hinted. 

Political Impact News gathered that majority of the key stakeholders aligned with the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, were also excluded from the process, raising concerns about internal party divisions and a lack of inclusivity.

Additionally, many serving lawmakers seeking a second term have distanced themselves from the consensus meeting. Several incumbent legislators and other aspirants indicated their intentions in a telephone interview with Starnews NG to pursue the party’s ticket through direct primaries instead of a consensus.

“We will purchase our nomination forms and test our popularity at the primaries,” one lawmaker said under anonymity. Other aspirants echoed similar sentiments, insisting that the consensus arrangement lacks legitimacy and cannot stand.

One of them said, “I have already booked my flight to Abuja; I will be picking my form tomorrow at the national secretariat. Forget that consensus; it won’t stand.”

A party source in Abuja also reinforced the growing dissent, stating bluntly that “if the consensus arrangement is not generally accepted, aspirants have the right to enter a competitive primary process.”

Political Impact News reports that the collapse of the consensus arrangement underscores the deepening factional divides within the party in Ondo State. 

Analysts warn that if not carefully managed, the crisis could weaken party cohesion ahead of the elections.

With multiple aspirants now preparing for primaries and key stakeholders questioning the transparency of the process, the party faces a critical test in balancing internal democracy with political unity.