Ondo APC elders urge members to accept party's candidate list decision

Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have called for an end to protests following the release of the party's candidates list by the National Working Committee (NWC). Some party members had taken to the streets of Akure to express grievances, alleging that the names on the list did not emerge victorious in the recent House of Representatives primary elections.

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We have consistently cautioned against every form of candidate imposition within our party in Ondo State. We maintained, at every opportunity, that the wishes of party members, the integrity of the nomination process, and the supremacy of the party must never be sacrificed on the altar of personal ambition or political expediency.

Demola Ijabiyi, Chairman of the APC Elders Forum in Ondo State, addressed journalists, affirming the elders' support for the NWC's decision. He emphasized that the NWC's choice reaffirms the APC as a party governed by its constitution and established rules, rather than personal preferences or sectional interests. Ijabiyi asserted that the primaries conducted in Ondo State were neither free nor fair, describing them as mere impositions.

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We understand the disappointment and frustration of those members and their supporters whose hopes were built on primary election results that were neither authentic nor sustainable. However, they owe it to themselves to accept the decision of our national leadership with dignity and without further agitation. No amount of public protest can convert defeat into victory where no legitimate mandate was won in the first place.

"We have consistently cautioned against every form of candidate imposition within our party in Ondo State," Ijabiyi stated. He acknowledged the disappointment of members whose hopes were tied to potentially inauthentic primary results but urged them to accept the national leadership's decision with dignity. He stressed that public protests cannot convert a defeat into a victory where no legitimate mandate was won.

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The decisions of the party’s leadership are binding on all members, and the supremacy of the party must prevail over personal ambition or sectional interests. Continued protests and acts of defiance can only amount to indiscipline and risk placing those involved at variance with the party’s core values and constitutional principles.

Ijabiyi concluded by reminding party members that the decisions of the party's leadership are binding and that the supremacy of the party must prevail over personal ambition. He warned that continued protests and defiance could be seen as indiscipline and might place members at odds with the APC's core values. The elders remain committed to mobilizing support for the party, sending a clear message that the APC is the final authority on nominations.

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This development sends a clear message that the APC remains the final authority on party nominations and that no individual, regardless of position, is greater than the party.