Ahead of the primary elections of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC scheduled to commence today, stakeholders in the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency of Ondo State have risen against what they describe as a behind-the-scenes plot to install a preferred candidate on the party’s platform.
They insisted that a House of Representatives seat cannot be handed out as political compensation.
The controversy centres on reports that Hon. Mathew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, who had previously pursued the Ondo South Senatorial ticket, is now being repositioned for the House of Representatives race in the same constituency — a development that has drawn sharp resistance from across the three local government areas that make up the district.
Leading the pushback are APC stakeholders from Odigbo, Ile-Oluji and Oke-Igbo, led by Famakinwa Gbolahan and youth leader Akinlaja Oluwaseun, who have issued a clear warning that any attempt to dress up imposition as consensus would fracture the party and blunt its competitiveness in the general election.
In a statement, the Odigbo stakeholders said the constituency deserved a representative with genuine commitment and long-standing engagement with the people, not what they called “last-minute political redeployment.”
Political analyst Jackson Lekan Ojo lent weight to their concerns, cautioning that elite-driven arrangements of this nature corrode the democratic foundations that give party decisions legitimacy.
“The APC must be careful not to create avoidable crises through imposition. Consensus should come through broad consultation and acceptance by party members, not through pressure from powerful interests. Delegates and stakeholders must be allowed to make their choices freely,” he said.
The groundswell of opposition has coincided with growing momentum behind the candidacy of Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi, whose campaign party faithful across the constituency described as rooted in genuine consultation rather than back-room manoeuvring.
Stakeholders cited her sustained engagement with traditional rulers, youth groups, women leaders, ward executives and community influencers as evidence of a candidacy built from the ground up.
Observers noted that her aspiration has found particular resonance among women and young voters, who see her as a credible and accessible candidate combining competence with national exposure.
With the APC having fixed Friday for House of Representatives primaries, party members across the constituency are urging delegates to stand firm against external pressure and weigh candidates strictly on merit — competence, accessibility, preparedness and demonstrated commitment to the development of Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo.