Tension erupted across parts of Yewa North Isokan Constituency 1 on Wednesday morning as members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) openly rejected the announcement of a consensus candidate ahead of the party’s primary process.
The development reportedly sparked unrest in several electoral wards, particularly in Ayetoro, the political headquarters of the constituency, where party faithful had gathered expecting to participate in an open contest. However, the situation changed after information emerged that a consensus candidate had allegedly been adopted by some party leaders.
Speaking under the platform of the Concerned Citizens of Yewa North Isokan Constituency 1, some aggrieved members expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as an undemocratic process capable of undermining the unity of the party at the grassroots level.
One of the protesters, who spoke anonymously at a polling center in Ayetoro, said party members arrived prepared to exercise their voting rights only to discover that a decision had already been made behind closed doors.
According to him, “We reject this completely. A consensus that does not involve the consent of the people and all the competing aspirants is unacceptable. We are demanding a transparent process where every aspirant is allowed to participate.” Despite the tension, the atmosphere across the affected wards remained peaceful, with supporters insisting on either a direct or indirect primary election involving all cleared aspirants.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved constituents have reportedly submitted petitions to key leaders of the party, including the APC State Secretariat in Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), as well as APC elders and stakeholders in Yewa North.
The petitioners warned that imposing a consensus arrangement against the wishes of party members could threaten the unity and electoral strength of the APC in the constituency ahead of future elections.
Among the demands presented by the protesters are the immediate cancellation of the announced consensus arrangement, the conduct of a transparent primary election, and equal participation for all aspirants cleared to contest.
They also appealed to Governor Abiodun and Senator Yayi to intervene in the matter and ensure fairness in the interest of democracy and party cohesion.
