Ondo APC Members Defend Court Suit, Fully Absolve Aiyedatiwa in NASS Primary Crisis

Aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to allow the courts determine the dispute arising from the House of Assembly primaries.

The members, under the aegis of the Ondo State Patriotic Front (OSPF), also absolved Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of any involvement in the court action instituted by some aspirants challenging the outcome of the primaries.

They described claims linking the governor to the litigation as false and a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the substantive issues before the court.

In a statement issued by its Coordinator, Dr. Daniel Olaniyi, the aggrieved members said the litigants were part of ways of exercising their constitutional right to seek judicial redress over what they alleged were irregularities in the conduct of the primaries.

According to him, the aggrieved aspirants approached the court over alleged breaches of the APC Constitution, the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, insisting that they acted independently and not at the instance of Governor Aiyedatiwa or any external interest.

Olaniyan maintained that the judiciary remains the appropriate institution to resolve disputes arising from party primaries and urged the APC leadership to respect due process.

He argued that if the primaries were conducted in accordance with the law and the party’s regulations, there should be no reason to fear judicial scrutiny.

The APC stalwart also cited provisions of the Electoral Act, noting that Section 29(1) requires political parties to submit only candidates who validly emerged from duly conducted primaries, while Section 33 restricts substitution of candidates to cases of death or voluntary withdrawal.

He further noted that Section 84(14) grants dissatisfied aspirants the legal right to challenge the outcome of party primaries in court.

Olaniyi said resorting to litigation should not be interpreted as anti-party activity but as a legitimate democratic process aimed at ensuring fairness, transparency and compliance with the law.

He warned that suppressing genuine grievances could deepen divisions within the party, recalling that unresolved internal disputes had, in the past, led to defections, voter apathy and electoral setbacks.

He therefore called on the APC National Working Committee to cooperate with the judicial process and avoid actions capable of undermining confidence in the party’s internal democratic system.

Olaniyi added that the case before the court was intended to determine whether the names submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly reflected candidates who emerged through validly conducted primaries.

“The issue goes beyond any individual. It is about protecting the integrity of the APC’s internal democratic process. If the authentic winners emerged through a lawful process, the court will affirm it,” he said.

He, however, urged all stakeholders to respect the eventual judgment of the court, stressing that adherence to the rule of law remains essential to the credibility, unity and democratic values of the ruling party.