Hon. Kolawole Akinlayo, a member of the House of Representatives, has petitioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to uphold Section 88(1) of the 2026 Electoral Act regarding the disputed primary for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II. Akinlayo, representing the Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi constituency, filed his complaint with the party’s National Chairman and the National Assembly Appeal Committee following the May 16 election.
Akinlayo argues that the declared winner, Mr. Kunle Ibrahim, was ineligible to compete because he held a government position at the time of the vote. Specifically, the lawmaker claims Ibrahim was employed as a Special Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and continued receiving a salary through May 2026. Under Section 88(1) of the 2026 Electoral Act, political appointees are prohibited from running in primaries without first resigning, a rule reinforced by the Supreme Court ruling in Tukur v. Mustapha (2023).
Beyond eligibility concerns, the petitioner alleged that the primary was compromised by various irregularities, including voter suppression, unauthorized vote inflation, and the selection of biased local officials to oversee the process. Akinlayo has requested that the APC disqualify Ibrahim and name him the winner, or alternatively, order a new primary election excluding ineligible candidates. This dispute marks a significant internal challenge for the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections and works to finalize its candidate list for the Independent National Electoral Commission.
