Arise rejects consensus, demands primaries
‘•Don’t impose unpopular candidate on us’ An aspirant for Ekiti North Senatorial District under All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayo Arise, has rejected moves to adopt consensus candidates for National Assembly
‘•Don’t impose unpopular candidate on us’
An aspirant for Ekiti North Senatorial District under All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayo Arise, has rejected moves to adopt consensus candidates for National Assembly tickets ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting on direct primaries.
Arise, who represented the district between 2007 and 2011, described the push for consensus as undemocratic, alleging that it was being promoted by aspirants who lacked grassroots support and were unwilling to test their popularity through open contests.
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Speaking with reporters during his consultations across wards in Ekiti North, he said the reception from party members had been encouraging, which he attributed to his performance while in office as a senator.
Stakeholders in Ibadan Northwest/ Southwest Federal Constituency under the aegis of Apex Leaders have appealed to the national and state leadership of the party to adopt the option of conducting direct primaries for aspirants jostling for elective offices in the constituency.
The group warned that it is at the risk of suffering another round of defeat as experienced in 2019 and 2023 should an unpopular candidate be imposed on the constituents.
The leaders spoke while addressing a news conference at NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, stressing the need for the leadership of the party to prepare a level playing field for the aspirants, rather than adopting a consensus or imposing a candidate who may be unpopular.
Presenting the appeal on behalf of the group, a chieftain of the party, Chief Wale Ohu, said the group was committed to working to achieve a more responsible, effective, reliable and trustworthy APC across Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
