Aiyedatiwa’s preferred candidates disqualified from APC House of Representatives primaries in Ondo

Three candidates who had been selected by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State as consensus nominees for House of Representatives seats were disqualified by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The three aspirants cleared by the governor—Tajudeen Adefisoye for the Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency, Victor Ategbole for the Akoko South‑East/South‑West federal constituency, and Samuel Arowele for the Owo/Ose federal constituency—were among those rejected by the party.

Other candidates who were not cleared include Seun Ajongbolo (Akoko South‑East/South‑West), Morufu Ibrahim, Oyeniyi Oseni and Olaleye Adedipe (both from Akoko North‑East/North‑West).

Because the APC’s National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka did not disclose the reasons for the disqualifications in a statement issued on Saturday, several aspirants in the state have criticized the party’s endorsement of the anointed candidates.

Despite the controversy, a large number of APC members attended the direct primaries held across the 203 wards of the state on Saturday.

In Akur metropolis, party members arrived at the designated wards around 8:00 a.m., while party officials conducted a headcount of attendees.

At Wards 4, 5, and 8, members were seen queuing behind posters of the aspirants they supported.

In some wards, an uproar erupted as party faithful complained that electoral officials were absent to record the exercise.