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A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Abayomi Semako Hunye, has accused the party of imposing a candidate on its members and disregarding its laid-down procedures in the process of selecting its flag bearer for the 2026 governorship election.
Hunye, a former Osun State commissioner, made the allegation during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, saying he had challenged the party’s governorship process at the Federal High Court.
He maintained that he was not consulted or invited to any meeting where an alleged consensus or arrangement on the party’s candidate was reached.
“You see, the question is not about threats. You see, I will tell you why that. Number one, somebody is trying to it’s an imposition. They impose a candidate on us, right? There are procedures in the law,” he said.
According to Hunye, the law permits political parties to adopt different methods, including concessions, arrangements and open ballot, but aspirants involved in a concession or arrangement must agree to it in writing.
He alleged that this requirement was not followed in his case.
“The law allows, number one, concessions, arrangements, and open ballot. Now, in the concessions and arrangements, it is only those who have purchased funds that become an aspirant. Those who must agree in writing. Well, that’s done. We are not invited. Nobody called me,” Hunye said.
The aspirant also challenged the validity of his purported suspension from the APC, saying he was never formally notified of the decision or given an opportunity to respond to any allegations against him.
“I was informed about this situation just last week. Last week on the basis of municipal assembly. I was unaware, just last week. No letter has been written to me. I haven’t received anything,” he said.
Hunye argued that the party’s disciplinary procedure requires a member facing suspension to first receive a written notice detailing the alleged offence and be given an opportunity to respond before any committee considers the matter.
“If you want to suspend anybody, the procedure clearly stated that. Number one, if you have any issues, you are going to send, you must send a letter to him in writing that you have violated this and this and this,” he said.
“Then he will reply to you. After that reply, then the committee must be settled, where you will be invited to clear himself.”
He claimed none of those steps was followed, adding that he only heard from a municipal official that he had allegedly been suspended since April.
“All these processes were not followed. I was not informed. I just heard from the person of municipal that I have been suspended since April. Where? Who gave me the letter? I haven’t received any letter,” he said.
Hunye further questioned how the APC could have continued treating him as an aspirant if the party had already suspended him.
He said he obtained his nomination form from the party on April 28 and subsequently appeared before the screening committee on May 11, where he was cleared to participate.
“I went to the party on April 28th and I picked my nomination for an expression. Are you getting what I’m saying? I paid. On the 11th of May, you invited me for screening. I went for the screening. The screening was done. I was cleared,” he said.
The former commissioner said his decision to challenge the process in court was driven by his demand for fairness rather than a personal desire to secure the governorship ticket.
“Basically, I want fairness and justice. I’ve been on this issue for the past 18 years. I’ve been contesting along with the people that I work with,” he said.
Hunye said he had remained in court because the selection of the APC’s governorship candidate was still subject to judicial determination and that he wanted his supporters to understand the situation.
“I am in court and I’m waiting for the verdict of the party. And I need to get my people informed to know exactly what is actually happening,” he said.
He explained that his campaign posters were intended partly to counter the perception among supporters and members of the public that the governorship contest had already been concluded.
“Today, quite a number of people are already thinking in their mind that everything has been concluded, and they keep on telling everybody that nothing is there again, that I have been settled, and that impression needs to be corrected, and that is the essence,” Hunye said.
He, however, acknowledged that the posters did not indicate that the matter was before the court and agreed that such information could be added.
“I agree with you now that probably we should also include on the posters that I’m in the race and I’m in court,” he said.
Hunye also alleged that he and some of his supporters had faced harassment in connection with his challenge to the APC process.
“They cannot be harassing me, pulling my chains down, blocking me. Not only they’re harassing me with government agencies here and there. I was invited by the police. They attacked me professionally. They cannot be doing that,” he alleged.
He further claimed that some of his supporters were assaulted and taken to security facilities during the primary process, saying he had evidence to support his allegations.
“I have a lot of evidences. I don’t know whether they will show it here. They maltreated all my people. All in all, most of the ones. They wounded them. They took them to a police station. They took them to airport. They have records there,” he said.
The aspirant rejected suggestions that his challenge was based on factional differences within the APC, citing a previous governorship contest during the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Hunye recalled that despite the emergence of a consensus candidate at the time, some party members, including himself and other senior figures, still obtained nomination forms because they disagreed with the consensus arrangement.
He said the same principle informed his decision to challenge the current process.
Hunye said his case had been before the Federal High Court for about three months but had yet to be heard.
He also dismissed the idea that reconciliation with the party’s preferred candidate would automatically resolve the matter, stressing that his demand was for fairness and due process.
“It’s not about reaching out to me. Basically, I want fairness and justice,” he said.
Despite the dispute, Hunye said he remained committed to supporting President Bola Tinubu and would continue participating in political activities.
“I’m going to join them. At least I will campaign for the president. It’s not two governors. I’m an astronaut. I’m in court,” he said.
Hunye maintained that he was not claiming to be the confirmed APC governorship candidate, but insisted that the court would ultimately determine the outcome of the disputed process.
“Once we are in court, the court will determine who becomes the candidate, When we are in court, the court will determine who remains in the court. That’s how you have the federal high court,” he said.
He also alleged that the APC’s preferred candidate, Yayi, had previously advised him not to contest the governorship election.
“When he called me, he told me that I should not contest. He told you not to contest? He told me that nobody should contest with Yayi,” Hunye said.
