Oyo: House of Representatives aspirant heads to court over APC primary

The All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant in the Oluyole federal constituency primary election in Oyo state, Hon. Abiodun Gbolagade, has filed a matter at the Federal High Court to challenge the party’s decision.

Addressing journalists at the weekend in Ibadan, Hon Gbolagade said that he went to court to challenge wrongful declaration of the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, Hon  Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, as the party’s candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

The House of Representatives aspirant who insisted that he won the primary election, said the primary election was conducted through the direct primary option in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.

He stressed that the collation centres across the constituency were communicated to all aspirants before the primary election exercise, adding that all aspirants participated in the process except Hon Akande-Sadipe, whom he alleged did not appear at any of the designated coalition centres.

“The primary election was conducted at the approved collation centres known to every aspirant. Virtually all the contestants were present except Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe.The results were collated and I was declared the winner at the party office,” he said.

Hon Gbolagade said he polled 2,315 votes in the exercise, while Akande-Sadipe scored 33 votes and that the outcome reflected the wishes of APC members in the constituency.

According to him, despite the declared result, “fake reports” allegedly later emerged online claiming that the incumbent lawmaker had won the primary which prompted him and his supporters to seek legal redress rather than resort to self-help.

“We decided to follow the rule of law. We have taken the matter to court because we believe the mandate of APC members in Oluyole federal constituency must be protected,”

He disclosed that the case had already been filed before the Federal High Court, and that the matter came up for its first hearing recently.

While expressing his confidence that the judiciary would resolve the dispute, Hon Gbolagade dismissed speculation that his supporters might defect to another political party.