From Kenneth Udeh, Ibadan
A leading aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in the Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Hon. Olusegun Olaleye, popularly known as Radical Brother, has strongly refuted a widely circulated publication claiming he emerged winner of the party’s primary election, which was never held.
In a statement issued on Monday, Olaleye described the report as false and mischievous, stressing that no official primary took place as scheduled on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
“It has come to my attention that a misleading publication is making the rounds on various online platforms, claiming I have declared myself the APC candidate for Ibadan North.
“I categorically state that neither I nor my media team authored such claims. This is the handiwork of mischief makers attempting to incite conflict between me and the party,” Olaleye stated.
The former Oyo lawmaker reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and the ongoing process by the party’s national leadership to resolve the stalemate that has engulfed the primary election process in Ibadan North.
“As it stands, the party has not announced a winner, and the primary did not take place due to unresolved issues. The APC National Headquarters is engaging with stakeholders to chart a way forward. I will continue to abide by the party’s directives and await further instructions, rather than act unilaterally,” he added.
He urged his supporters and the general public to disregard the false report, emphasizing his commitment to party discipline and internal democracy.
Meanwhile, six of the ten aspirants in the race have jointly petitioned the APC national leadership, rejecting what they described as a “kangaroo primary” allegedly conducted at an unofficial venue without a properly constituted delegates’ congress.
In a communique addressed to the APC National Secretariat and copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Working Committee, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other relevant stakeholders, the aggrieved aspirants described the exercise as a breach of both party rules and Nigeria’s electoral guidelines.
The communique was signed by:
Olaleye Segun (Ward 11)
Lapade Idris (Ward 5)
Farouk Arisekola (Ward 5)
Adekunle Oladeji (Ward 10)
Saheed Aderounmu (Ward 8)
Khalil Mustapha (Ward 5)
According to the document, the absence of an official delegates’ congress renders any outcome from the purported primaries null, void, and unacceptable. They called on the APC National Working Committee to uphold the principles of internal democracy and ensure that a credible, transparent, and constitutionally compliant primary is conducted in Ibadan North.
The aspirants further reaffirmed their loyalty to the party, urging all stakeholders to prioritize fairness and justice in order to restore confidence among party members ahead of the forthcoming by-election.
