On Thursday, a large group of APC women and youth in Ondo State shut down the busy Ilesha-Owo Expressway to express their disapproval of the National Assembly candidate list published by the party’s National Working Committee. The demonstrators displayed signs calling for the restoration of their preferred candidates and the protection of the internal voting process, which caused a significant traffic delay that even affected the convoy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The protesters argued that the national leadership replaced the rightful winners of the party’s May primaries with unauthorized names. Seun Osamaye, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, characterized the protest as a peaceful effort to reject a misleading list. She urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the original results of the primaries are respected. Osamaye also called on the NWC to provide transparency regarding the appeal process that led to these controversial changes.
Princess Oluwayemisi Iji-Ayeola, the State Women Leader, stated that the released names were an insult to the party in Ondo and disregarded the efforts of Governor Aiyedatiwa. She noted that party Chairman Hon. Babatunde Kolawole had previously attempted to address the issue at the national level without success. Youth leader Bright Ojo echoed these sentiments, warning that members would continue to resist any efforts to undermine the outcome of the party’s internal democratic process. Security forces were eventually dispatched to the site to manage the situation and clear the road for commuters.
