Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress from six Itsekiri political wards in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the disqualification of their preferred aspirant, Andrew Omagbemi Igban, from the party’s primary election for the Warri South-West Constituency seat in the Delta State House of Assembly.
The aggrieved party members described the disqualification as unfair, undemocratic, and contrary to the principles of internal party democracy, urging the President to intervene in the matter.
The protest letter, jointly signed by Prince E. Etuwewe, Anibi Eyedisan, and Joseph Egiri, was titled: “Letter of Protest to Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Regarding Unjust Disqualification of Our Chosen Aspirant for the Delta State House of Assembly, Warri South-West.”
According to the petitioners, the protest was made on behalf of loyal APC members across the six Itsekiri political wards of Ugborodo, Ajudiabo, Akpakpa, Ogidigben, Madangho, and Orere in Warri South-West Local Government Area.
The group alleged that Igban was disqualified by the party’s screening committee without any valid justification, thereby denying party members the opportunity to freely choose a candidate they believed could effectively represent their interests.
“We are strongly protesting his disqualification from the primaries without any valid reason, thereby denying us our fundamental democratic rights to choose and vote for the candidate we believe can best represent us at this time,” the letter stated.
The petitioners further claimed that the established screening guidelines and electoral procedures of the party were not properly followed during the process.
They described the development as an act of oppression within the party and warned that failure to address the matter could weaken confidence in the APC’s internal democratic process among grassroots members.
“We see this injustice as oppression by our party leaders, as the screening process guidelines were not followed, and the electoral process was disregarded. This is unfair to us as a people with a voice in selecting our representatives because democracy is a freedom for everyone,” the petition added.
The protesting members also cautioned that unresolved grievances arising from the primary process could create disaffection within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, which they described as critical to the APC’s future electoral fortunes.
They appealed to President Tinubu to order a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disqualification in order to safeguard the democratic rights of party faithful and strengthen confidence in the party’s internal processes.
Despite their grievances, the petitioners reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and expressed continued commitment to the party as their preferred political platform.
“We remain loyal to the party as our choice vehicle to serve our constituents,” the signatories stated while calling for urgent presidential intervention.
