‘If We Want Democracy, Let Us Practice It’ – APC Chieftain Faults Ekiti Primary Election, Calls On Tinubu

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayodele Arise, has described the party’s recent primary election for the Ekiti North Senatorial District ticket as a sham.

Arise, who was one of the aspirants in the race, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the crisis trailing the outcome of the exercise.

Naija News reports that the APC primary committee that supervised the election had declared the sitting senator representing Ekiti North, Cyril Fasuyi, as the winner.

However, Arise and other aspirants, including Dipo Bamisaye and Dare Owolabi, have rejected the result, alleging fraud and manipulation.

In a statement issued at the weekend, Arise said the crisis generated by the primary election showed that internal democracy remained a major challenge within the ruling party.

The former senator, who represented Ekiti North between 2007 and 2011, accused the party of paying lip service to the issues raised by aggrieved aspirants after the exercise.

He said President Tinubu must step in to address the complaints and prevent further damage to the party’s democratic image.

“When we talk about internal democracy, it is still a very big challenge. It’s one thing for us to have a Constitution; it’s another thing for people to try to circumvent it or the guidelines for any election,” Arise said.

Arise said his experience during the primary confirmed his fears about the conduct of internal elections in the party.

He said he joined the race because he knew there were issues within the system and wanted to prove a point.

“That was demonstrated in no small measure when I tried to come back through the primary because I knew what was in the pipeline, so I went into it to prove a point,” he said.

“It will be a shame if some of us pass through this country and we don’t have the voice to correct the anomalies and let people know that if we want to practice democracy, let us practice it. If we don’t want it, it’s a different kettle of fish.”

The former lawmaker said the party must be courageous enough to correct anomalies if it truly wants to practise democracy.

Arise said he believed the leadership of the APC was already aware of the complaints raised by aggrieved aspirants.

He expressed confidence that those who genuinely won their elections would eventually be given their mandate.

“The experience I had during the primary, I really don’t want to overbeat that because I believe the chairman of the party has spoken with Mr. President, and I think they are looking at all the challenges, and I am sure those of us who worked and won our elections will be given our mandate in due course,” he said.

He added that Tinubu had shown willingness to address challenges within the party and the country.

“As we discover problems, people respond to them, and I believe, more than anybody else, that our President has been very proactive in terms of fixing some of these challenges, working on them, and ensuring that corrections are made before it’s too late,” he stated.

Governors Blamed For Primary Crisis

Arise also accused some state governors of interfering in party primaries and frustrating aspirants who were not their preferred candidates.

He said the influence of governors remained one of the biggest obstacles to fair contests within the APC.

According to him, aspirants who do not enjoy the backing of governors often face serious difficulty, even when they are not contesting directly against the governors.

He added that “the issue of the governors is still a major problem in terms of trying to get to the Senate.

“Even when you aren’t contesting against them, if you aren’t their favored candidate, the chances of your making it are a little bit very challenging.”

The APC primaries held last month were reportedly marred by controversies in some areas, with several aspirants rejecting the outcomes.

In Ekiti North, the declaration of Fasuyi as the winner has continued to generate disputes among some contenders.

Arise maintained that the party must address the grievances properly if it wants to strengthen confidence in its internal democratic process ahead of future elections.