By Our Reporter
There was confusion at the Ondo State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Akure on Sunday evening as suspected political thugs disrupted the official announcement of the remaining results of the party’s House of Representatives primary elections conducted across the state.
The development forced members of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee, journalists and party officials to flee the venue over fears for their safety.
The party had earlier announced results from three of the nine federal constituencies where the primary elections were conducted on Saturday.
Among those declared winners were Omowunmi Olatunji Ohwovoriole, who emerged victorious in Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency with 9,237 votes; Olumuyiwa Daramola, who secured the Okitipupa/Irele ticket with 6,547 votes; and the incumbent lawmaker representing Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency, Abiola Peter Makinde, who polled 10,847 votes.
However, results from six other federal constituencies — Akoko North East/Akoko North West, Akoko South East/Akoko South West, Owo/Ose, Idanre/Ifedore, Ilaje/Ese-Odo and Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo — were still being awaited.
Sources said members of the election committee had gone into hiding since Saturday night following mounting tension over the outcome of some of the contests.
The Chairman of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee, Iboroma Harry Dabibi, alongside other committee members, reportedly arrived at the party secretariat around 7 p.m. on Sunday to continue the announcement of the outstanding results.
Trouble, however, started when one of the disqualified aspirants from the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency allegedly stormed the venue with suspected thugs in an attempt to halt the exercise.
It was gathered that the aspirant handed his telephone to the Ondo State APC Chairman, Babatunde Kolawole, to speak with a caller said to be a top female commissioner in the state government.
The caller was alleged to have directed the state party leadership to ask the committee chairman to suspend further announcement of results pending the resolution of issues relating to aspirants who were not cleared by the screening committee in Owo/Ose and Idanre/Ifedore federal constituencies.
The atmosphere reportedly became rowdy shortly after the telephone conversation as suspected thugs disrupted proceedings and chased journalists, party officials and committee members out of the conference hall despite the presence of security personnel at the secretariat.
Some committee members were overheard expressing fears over their safety, insisting that they could not continue the exercise at the risk of their lives.
They were said to have subsequently left the venue for their hotel rooms.
Journalists covering the exercise also scampered to safety to avoid being attacked.
As of the time of filing this report, the official declaration of results for the six remaining federal constituencies had yet to be concluded by the committee.
Meanwhile, in a prepared statement signed by Iboroma Harry Dabibi, the committee maintained that it successfully conducted a free, fair and peaceful primary election in line with the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the party.
The committee commended the leadership and members of the APC in Ondo State for what it described as their maturity and orderly conduct during the exercise.
According to the statement, the committee declared the following aspirants winners in the affected constituencies:
Ifeoluwa Ehindero for Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency; Gboyega Adefarati for Akoko South East/Akoko South West Federal Constituency; Kayode Ijalana for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency; Rasaq Obe for Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency; Matthew Oyerimade for Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Federal Constituency; and Akingboye Akinleke David for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.
The committee appealed to aggrieved aspirants and party members to remain united ahead of the 2027 general elections.
