Controversy has erupted over the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Ekiti North Senatorial District, as former senator Ayodele Arise, Dare Owolabi, and incumbent lawmaker Cyril Fasuyi traded accusations following the announcement of results. The APC Senatorial Primary Election Committee declared Fasuyi the winner with 14,179 votes, while Arise received 4,868 votes, Dipo Bamisaye got 3,694, and Owolabi secured 2,836 votes. However, Arise and Owolabi have rejected the outcome, alleging widespread manipulation, fraud, and intimidation during the voting process.
In separate statements to journalists on Tuesday, Arise and Owolabi claimed they had won the primary based on results from 33 wards where voting was completed. Arise insisted that his tally stood at 8,687 votes compared to Fasuyi’s 7,755 votes before the exercise was allegedly disrupted. He alleged that election officials abandoned the process in 12 wards where he was leading and failed to show up in 10 others, effectively halting the vote count. Arise also pointed out that the total votes announced by the committee exceeded the registered APC membership in the district, calling the figures mathematically impossible.
He further accused the committee of altering ward results to favour Fasuyi, citing Iludun I Ward in Ilejemeje Local Government Area as an example where his votes were reportedly reduced in the final declaration. “I won the election and I have proof. I was rigged out by the system. The result does not represent the wish of the people. What happened yesterday was fraught with irregularities, fraud, violence and intimidation,” Arise stated.
Owolabi echoed similar concerns, demanding the outright cancellation of the primary election. He claimed the process was marred by irregularities across local governments, wards, and polling units. “The election is not fair and there were a lot of irregularities… We know our people were terrorized and chased out of the venues,” he said. Despite the disputes, Owolabi urged supporters to remain peaceful and shift focus to the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election in June 2024, calling for unity among all parties to re-elect Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
In response, Senator Fasuyi dismissed the allegations as baseless and urged Arise to accept the result in good faith. He emphasized that his victory reflected the trust and support he has earned across the five local government areas in Ekiti North due to his performance in office. As the incumbent senator and Director-General of Governor Oyebanji’s re-election campaign, Fasuyi questioned why anyone would expect him to lose. “I have remained actively connected to the grassroots, and the people know the efforts we have made,” he said.
Fasuyi also maintained that party members voted freely and that the primary was conducted in line with APC guidelines. He called on all aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to unite for the party’s success ahead of the governorship election and the 2027 general elections. The outcome of this primary could influence party dynamics in Ekiti State as the APC prepares for crucial elections in the coming months.
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