“Merit must prevail” —Com. Okedara warns against imposition of candidates

A senior grassroots leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Okedara Kolawole, has written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing deep concern over the growing crisis trailing the party’s primary elections across the country.

In the strongly-worded letter dated May 29, 2026, Okedara warned that the ruling party was “treading on thin ice” if urgent measures were not taken to address widespread allegations of manipulation, imposition, and disregard for internal democracy.

The APC chieftain, who is the National Vice Chairman of the Consolidated APC Grassroots Movement (CaGram), as well as National Chairman of the Movement for Greater Nigeria and Yoruba Art and Cultural Tradition Group, referenced recent comments allegedly made by Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo concerning developments within the party.

Using the controversy surrounding the Alimosho Federal Constituency House of Representatives primary election in Lagos State as a case study, Okedara alleged that the democratic wishes of party members and stakeholders were being undermined.

According to him, Hon. Ganiyu Adele, who reportedly secured over 37,000 votes during the primary election and emerged as the consensus candidate backed by council chairmen, councilors, APC local government executives, and party stakeholders across the six councils in Alimosho, is allegedly facing attempts by “some elements” within the party to replace him with another aspirant, who reportedly polled slightly above 2,000 votes.

He described the situation as disturbing and capable of damaging the credibility of the APC if not urgently addressed.

“The actions of a single individual have thwarted the will of the Alimosho populace and leaders,” the letter stated, warning that continued interference in the democratic process could deepen division within the party.

Okedara further lamented what he described as widespread confusion following the conduct of primaries in several states, accusing some party leaders of disregarding the directives of the National Working Committee (NWC).

He noted that despite the NWC’s instruction that only the national leadership had the authority to announce winners of the primaries, some state chapters allegedly proceeded to declare and even publish names of winners in newspapers, thereby creating uncertainty and tension among aspirants.

The APC stalwart said many loyal party members who deserved return tickets to the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly were allegedly denied fair treatment, while some successful aspirants were now living in fear of possible reversals.

He also alleged that numerous petitions submitted by aggrieved aspirants were yet to receive proper attention due to the influence of certain powerful individuals within some states.

“How long will some people sit elsewhere dictating who becomes what in another local government despite direct primaries being conducted and results announced accordingly?” he queried.

Calling for urgent intervention, Okedara urged President Tinubu to direct the APC National Chairman to immediately reconvene the NWC in Abuja in order to address the mounting crisis.

He proposed the establishment of a special Petition Review Sub-Committee made up exclusively of NWC members to review all appeals, petitions, and disputes arising from the primaries before final decisions are taken.

According to him, cases such as the Alimosho controversy and other disputed primaries across the country require careful handling to restore confidence in the party’s internal mechanisms.

The APC grassroots leader also recommended the setting of clear timelines for resolving all disputes to prevent prolonged uncertainty ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He further called for reconciliation efforts involving governors, party elders, and members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), while insisting that the final authority on all primary matters must remain with the NWC.
Okedara additionally urged the party leadership to publicly reaffirm its commitment to internal democracy and caution against premature declarations capable of escalating tensions within the ruling party.

He warned that unresolved grievances could trigger further defections and weaken the APC’s electoral strength in future elections.

The letter also referenced concerns over alleged factional activities and the emergence of groups such as the “Mandate and Justice Caucus,” which he claimed were contributing to disunity and disharmony among party members at the grassroots level.

“Swift and careful action now will save our party from greater crisis tomorrow,” he stated.

The development comes amid growing concerns within political circles over internal wrangling and post-primary disputes in several states as political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections begin to gather momentum.