Some members of the in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday staged a protest against alleged moves by party leaders to impose a governorship candidate ahead of the next election cycle.
The protesting members rejected the adoption of a consensus candidate, insisting that the party must conduct direct primaries to ensure fairness, transparency and internal democracy.
The demonstrators gathered in different parts of Ibadan carrying placards condemning what they described as attempts by certain stakeholders to handpick a candidate without allowing party members to participate in the selection process.
They warned that imposing a candidate could deepen the internal crisis within the APC in Oyo State and weaken the party’s chances in future elections.
Speaking during the protest, some aggrieved members accused party leaders of sidelining grassroots supporters and manipulating the process in favour of preferred aspirants.
According to the protesters, direct primaries remain the most credible method of selecting the party’s governorship candidate because it gives all registered party members the opportunity to vote.
They also called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene and prevent what they termed “backdoor arrangements” in determining the governorship ticket.
The protesters maintained that the party could only regain the confidence of members and supporters in Oyo State if the primary election process is transparent, open and free from manipulation.
