— Abimbola Olawumi Accuses APC of Imposition, Says Tinubu’s Reforms Being Sabotaged by Cabal
What was expected to be a seamless affirmation of Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s consensus candidate for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State has snowballed into a legal and political storm.
One of the aggrieved aspirants, Mrs. Abimbola Olawumi, has taken the ruling party to the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleging that her disqualification from the governorship race was both “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
Speaking on Inside Scoop, a political affairs programme on Adamimogo 105.1 FM, Ibadan, Olawumi accused party leaders in Ekiti of orchestrating a “kangaroo process” that sidelined qualified aspirants to impose the incumbent governor.
“The Nigerian Constitution is clear,” she said. “As long as an aspirant is not bankrupt, not a convict, and has met all requirements, there is no reason for disqualification. I met every guideline stated in both the APC constitution and that of Nigeria, yet I was unlawfully screened out.”
Olawumi, who has been a member of the APC since its days as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999, lamented what she described as the recurring pattern of political imposition in Ekiti.
“Since 1999, the same cabal has been in power. They’ve never allowed internal democracy to thrive,” she said. “Twice, I’ve contested for the chairmanship of my local government, and twice, the process was hijacked. They simply tell you ‘the party is supreme.’”
When asked why she remained in the APC despite her frustrations, Olawumi said her decision was guided by her belief in President Bola Tinubu’s reformist agenda.
“I believe in President Tinubu’s vision. But the problem lies with the state leaders who sabotage his efforts. I thought his emergence and the appointment of a professor as party chairman would mark a change, but Ekiti’s story remains the same,” she said.
The APC, on its part, maintains that Oyebanji’s emergence as a consensus candidate was the outcome of a fair and transparent process. But Olawumi disagrees.
“That claim is false,” she declared. “You can’t disqualify aspirants without informing them, without dialogue, and then turn around to declare a consensus. That’s not democracy; it’s impunity.”
The former chairmanship aspirant said she approached the court not merely for personal justice, but to challenge what she called the “systematic erosion” of internal party democracy in the state.
“Over time, Ekiti APC has become a playground for imposition. My case is not just about me — it’s about reforming that system,” she said.
Asked whether she feared political backlash or isolation from the party, Olawumi was defiant.
“I cannot be intimidated,” she said firmly. “If I’m standing up against injustice, then I’ve already counted the cost. Whatever happens within the party, I’m ready to face it.”
She dismissed suggestions that her court action could further fracture the APC in Ekiti, insisting that those responsible for the alleged manipulation of the primaries were the real source of division.
“If the party wanted reconciliation, they should have reached out before conducting their kangaroo primary. You cannot exclude aspirants and then invite them for peace talks,” she said.
Looking ahead, Olawumi expressed confidence in the judiciary, saying she trusts the court to nullify the primary process and order a fresh, transparent election.
“I believe the court will uphold justice. Once the process is redone, Nigerians will see the truth — that Governor Oyebanji is not as popular within the party as they claim,” she said.
Asked if she would have accepted the consensus arrangement if all aspirants had agreed to it, Olawumi said:
“Consensus is constitutional only if every aspirant signs an agreement. That never happened. So, what they did was illegal and politically fraudulent.”
She ended the interview with a sharp rebuke of the leadership style in the state.
“If Governor Oyebanji were truly popular, he wouldn’t need to manipulate the process to emerge. This fight is not just mine; it’s for every APC member who still believes in democracy.”
For now, the courtroom becomes the next battleground, one that could test not only the strength of Nigeria’s internal party democracy but also the credibility of the APC’s much-touted reform agenda under President Tinubu.
