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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
An aspirant in the May 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for Ekiti Federal Constituency II, Hon. Victor Olumuyiwa Kolade, has rejected the outcome of the exercise, describing the process as “deeply flawed, disappointing and unacceptable”.
Kolade, who contested against Hon. Dapo Karounwi in Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II, comprising Efon, Ijero and Ekiti West local government areas, alleged widespread irregularities, manipulation and imposition during the exercise, insisting that what transpired could not be regarded as a credible election.
The APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, chaired by Asipa Adedoyin Banjo, on Sunday announced Dapo Karounwi as the winner of the election in Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II after he defeated Victor Olumuyiwa Kolade.
Speaking with journalists after the primary, the politician and party stalwart said the conduct of the exercise fell short of the expectations of party members and democratic principles.
“The exercise was a filthy one, disappointing, and there was nothing right or encouraging about the election. Ninety-nine percent of party faithful did not expect what happened that day. It makes me wonder what is going on within our party,” he said.
Kolade, however, maintained that despite his grievances, he would pursue lawful channels provided by the party to seek redress.
“The party has rules and guidelines. Any disgruntled party member has a channel to follow. After the election, there is an appeal committee, and if you are not satisfied, you can take the next step,” he stated.
When asked whether he had confidence in the appeal process, the aspirant said exploring the mechanism remained necessary regardless of his personal reservations.
“Whether I have confidence in them or not, I have to explore it. It is a must,” he added.
The APC chieftain questioned the authenticity of the declared figures, alleging that the votes allocated to him did not reflect the actual support he enjoyed across the constituency.
“I was the candidate in the three local governments, yet they awarded me just 2,000 votes and gave the supposed winner 6,000 votes. What transpired was not the intention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he advocated direct primaries.
“How can we renew hope when the foundation is faulty? We are starting on a very wrong foot.”
Kolade further appealed to the leadership of the party to allow the wishes of members to prevail, warning against suppressing the voices of party faithful.
“My message to the leadership of the party is to allow the views of the people to be heard. You don’t suppress the voice of the masses. If you do, you may not face the consequences now, but you will face them later,” he warned.
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While calling on his supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding, Kolade emphasised that he does not support violence or political thuggery.
“My supporters should remain calm. I am an agent of peace. I don’t support fighting or thuggery. We will channel our grievances properly, but I maintain that there was no real election yesterday,” he said.
The politician also alleged discrepancies between figures allegedly collated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and those eventually announced.
“Figures in Ekiti West and Efon allegedly brought in by INEC did not correspond with the figures eventually announced. I am wondering whether the result declared was actually the one monitored and endorsed,” he said.
Kolade accused some influential figures within the party of openly endorsing a preferred aspirant before the election, arguing that such actions compromised the integrity of the process.
“There were videos flying around where party leaders openly declared their preferred candidate and said government had imposed a particular person. Even before the election, the aspirant himself reportedly told people that whether they voted for him or not, he had already won,” he alleged.
According to him, such pre-election utterances created doubts about the transparency and fairness of the primary.
“It is not rocket science to connect those utterances with what eventually transpired during the election,” he said.
Kolade also alleged intimidation and harassment of some of his supporters by security operatives ahead of the poll.
“On the eve of the election, security operatives allegedly stormed my town, arrested some of my supporters in their homes, some in boxers and towels. One of them was reportedly hit in the chest with the butt of a gun despite his deteriorating health condition,” he claimed.
He further alleged that some detained supporters were transferred to Afao, where their heads were shaved, adding that about 11 of his loyalists were currently in custody.
He disclosed that consultations were ongoing with his political structure and supporters across the constituency on the next line of action.
“Everything I am doing now is with consultation. I am consulting with my local government structures, and there will be a joint decision,” he said.
Kolade insisted that support for his aspiration remained strong at the grassroots, citing recent internal consultations within his political base.
“Seventeen people voted recently and 16 voted for me, while only one voted for the other aspirant. So, before taking any further step, I will continue consultations with my people,” he added.
