Four aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to represent Ondo East/West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives have rejected the reported adoption of Abiola Makinde as the party’s consensus candidate.
The aspirants, Jibayo Adeyeye, Ade Adeniyi, Bola Fisayo, and Michael Ajilo described the move as an imposition and insisted that only a free, fair, and transparent primary election would be acceptable.
Makinde, who is currently serving in the National Assembly, is seeking a third term.
Speaking after a joint meeting in Ondo, the aspirants said they had obtained nomination and expression of interest forms and were prepared to participate in a direct primary in line with party guidelines and electoral laws.
In a communiqué jointly signed by the four contenders, they stated that they were not part of any consensus arrangement endorsing a candidate for the constituency.
“We are not part of any consensus arrangement leading to the endorsement of any candidate for our federal constituency,” they said.
The aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and their intention to contest the forthcoming primary election.
They also noted growing concerns among constituents over representation at the National Assembly, adding that residents are seeking credible leadership and improved representation.
“We have offered ourselves as credible alternatives in the APC. We are discussing among ourselves and will come up with a consensus in due course,” they added.
The group called on the party leadership to uphold internal democracy by ensuring a transparent and competitive primary process, stressing that their engagement with constituents is aimed at restoring confidence in governance and representation.
