Protest erupted at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday in Abuja when Ekiti state women expressed their disappointment over the disqualification of one of the aspirants, Kayode Ojo and the adoption of consensus candidate ahead of the primary election scheduled to take place on October 27.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted the Governor of Ekiti state, Biodun Oyebanji as the consensus candidate of the party ahead of the primary elections scheduled to hold on October 27, 2025.
TheHintsNews reports that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had surprisingly disqualified Ojo and Mrs. Abimbola Olawumi from contesting the primary.
The ruling party claimed that their disqualification was predicated on the fact that their filings did not conform with the provisions of the APC constitution and the Electoral Act.
Subsequently, the party in a letter dated 13th October, 2025 and jointly signed by the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the plan of the party to change the mode of primary from Direct to Consensus.
The party said its decision to adopt Oyebanji as the consensus candidate followed the voluntary withdrawal of another governorship aspirant, Mrs. Oluremi Omolayo from the race.
But the aggrieved women who protested at the party secretariat described Ojo’s disqualification as political harassment.
The protesters were armed with various placards like: “We reject BAO, Eko must not be disqualified, Eko disqualification is political harassment, Ekiti women reject BAO, We don’t want consensus, We want governorship primary, We say no to Kayode Ojo’s disqualification, APC must allow Eko for primary, Let people go to field to exercise their political rights, Engr. Kayode Ojo (EKO) is eligible to contest”, among others.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the protesters, Ms. Abereniola Mercy lamented the disqualification of Ojo, saying the people of the state are tired of the administration of the incumbent Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
She stated: “We want Kayode Ojo as our next governor in Ekiti state. And the people of Ekiti state are ready for him. They are ready to work for him.
“The reason why we are here today is to let the party know what we are passing through in Ekiti state. We want Kayode Ojo to be our next governor in 2026 because he’s a man of honesty. People are ready for him, people love him.
“We don’t want any consensus in Ekiti state. We want to go for primary, because people are ready for him (Ojo). So we don’t want any consensus.”
Asked what they want the party to do, Mercy added that what they are demanding is for the party to organise free as fair primary.
“What we want this party to do, especially our leaders at the national level, is that we want Kayode Ojo to be our next governor, and we don’t want any consensus. We want primary election,” she insisted.