Five governorship hopefuls in Oyo State want President Bola Tinubu to step in. They're protesting what they call rigged processes in the APC.
The group, known as APC G5, made their position clear on Monday at a press conference. They spoke at the Nigeria Union of Journalists centre in Ibadan.
Rauf Olaniyan, the former deputy governor, leads the aspirants. Three others joined him: Musbau Asanike, Akeem Agbaje, and Ololade Usman Bakare.
Oyedele Hakeem Alao read their statement to reporters. He detailed complaints about the House of Representatives primary held on May 16.
According to the group, that exercise was messy and unfair. Party members were intimidated, they alleged, and some couldn't vote.
"Multiple aspirants were disqualified without a proper hearing," Alao said. He noted this violated the APC constitution itself.
The G5 pointed to fabricated results in some areas. Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, and Oyo zones saw announced winners despite no elections occurring, they claimed.
Widespread anger now exists across all 33 local government areas in Oyo. Grassroots members are frustrated with party leadership, the aspirants warned.
They cited the Oluyole Federal Constituency race as proof. A party-backed candidate lost badly there because members rejected him outright.
That loss taught an important lesson, according to the group. Imposed candidates don't win when ordinary members oppose them.
The APC can't repeat its 2019 and 2023 mistakes, they insisted. Those defeats cost the party the governorship, they said.
Yet the G5 stopped short of rejecting all consensus arrangements. A transparent process managed honestly could work, they indicated.
What they won't accept is a predetermined outcome dressed up as democracy. Party leaders must respect democratic principles or risk losing again.
Tinubu holds the key to resolving this mess, the aspirants believe. They pledged loyalty to him and promised to accept his choice.
"Whatever Asiwaju decides after consulting leaders across the state, we'll accept it," Alao stated. The President's word would be final for them.
But Tinubu must actually consult widely, the G5 emphasized. Proper stakeholder engagement is essential for legitimacy.
The group fears the party's internal crisis could explode. Continued heavy-handedness by leadership will only deepen divisions.
Members are watching closely how the governorship primary unfolds. Many will judge the APC's commitment to fairness by what happens next.
Sources close to the aspirants say they're prepared to support whoever wins fairly. Their main demand is that the process be transparent and credible.
Party officials haven't yet responded to the G5's allegations. Reactions from Oyo APC leadership are expected soon.
For now, the five remain hopeful Tinubu's intervention will reset the race. They believe the President values democratic principles over factional politics.
Stakeholders across Oyo State will likely welcome presidential involvement. It could ease tensions and restore confidence in the primary process.
