2027: Reps member urges APC to enforce Electoral Act, disqualify opponent

The member representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II in the House of Representatives under the Umbrella of the All Progressive Congresses, APC, Rep. Kolawole Akinlayo, has kicked against the outcome of the last party primary held in the Federal constituency and urged the leadership of the party to strictly uphold the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 in determining the outcome of the party’s primary election for the area 

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the Ekiti Federal Lawmaker declared that   the declared winner, Mr Kunle Ibrahim, was constitutionally not qualified to participate in the exercise in line with the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026

Rep. Akinlayo disclosed that he had already  petitioned the party’s National Chairman and the National Assembly Appeal Committee, challenging the outcome of the May 16 primary election on the need to review the exercise in the interest of the party 

The lawmaker pointed out that adherence to the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution were critical to preserving the integrity of the APC’s internal democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He maintained that the law must take precedence over political considerations, warning that any failure to enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act could undermine confidence in the party’s candidate selection process.

According to him, the aspirant, declared winner of the primary election, was not qualified to contest because he remained a political appointee at the time of the exercise.

He alleged that Ibrahim was serving as a special assistant in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and continued to receive salary up to May 2026, after the conduct of the primary election.

The lawmaker insisted that Ibrahim’s participation in the exercise violated Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that “A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate or be voted for during party conventions, congresses or primaries of any political party for the nomination of candidates for any election.”

While citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Tukur v. Mustapha (2023), the federal lawmaker contended that political appointees seeking elective office must first resign their appointments before participating in party primaries.

According to him, “The purported winner is not qualified to participate in the primary election by virtue of Section 88(1), and his participation, in the eyes of the law, is a nullity ab initio,” he argued.

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Beyond the issue of eligibility, Akinlayo alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities in several wards across the constituency.

According to him, the election process witnessed the absence of accreditation of voters in some areas, alleged inflation of votes in others, voter suppression and disruption of voting in parts of the constituency where his supporters were said to have turned out in large numbers.

He also alleged that local government and party officials with vested interests in the outcome of the contest were appointed as returning officers, thereby compromising the credibility of the exercise.

He stated that based on the alleged breaches, the APC leadership should invoke the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by disqualifying Ibrahim and declaring him the valid winner of the primary, having reportedly placed second in the contest.

According to him, “the purported winner is not qualified to participate in the primary election by virtue of Section 88(1),

He said that alternatively, the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee should nullify the results from the wards where irregularities occurred and conduct a fresh primary election involving only qualified aspirants.