Chaos Rocks Ondo APC Reps Primaries as Thugs Disrupt Results Announcement

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Fresh crisis has engulfed the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries in Ondo State after suspected political thugs disrupted the announcement of outstanding results, throwing the exercise into confusion nearly two days after voting ended.

The ruling party has been battling uncertainty since the primaries were conducted across the state’s nine federal constituencies on Saturday, with disputes over results and screening controversies deepening tensions among aspirants and party leaders.

Tension heightened on Sunday evening at the APC State Secretariat along Olusegun Obasanjo Road in Akure, where party officials had gathered to continue the declaration of results from constituencies yet to be announced.

The process was being streamed live on Facebook by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, as party members and supporters monitored developments online.

However, in a dramatic twist, the live broadcast was suddenly discontinued midway into the exercise, leaving viewers confused and speculating over what may have gone wrong at the venue.

Our correspondent, who monitored the live session, observed that the atmosphere initially appeared calm before the transmission abruptly stopped without explanation, triggering questions from followers who were watching the proceedings in real time.

Further findings later revealed that suspected political thugs had stormed the secretariat, forcing an abrupt halt to the exercise.

Eyewitnesses said the disruption began after a disqualified aspirant from the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency allegedly arrived at the venue accompanied by a group of suspected thugs.

Sources within the party claimed the aspirant handed a mobile phone to the state chairman of the APC, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, during the tense meeting.

The caller, reportedly a powerful female commissioner in the Ondo State Government, was alleged to have directed the party leadership to suspend the announcement of the remaining results pending the resolution of disputes surrounding the screening of aspirants in the Owo/Ose and Idanre/Ifedore federal constituencies.

The development immediately threw the venue into chaos as the suspected thugs reportedly chased journalists, party officials, and members of the electoral committee out of the conference hall despite the presence of security operatives around the secretariat.

Committee members were said to have expressed fears over their safety, insisting they could not continue the declaration process under such tense conditions.

Unable to proceed, the officials reportedly abandoned the venue and returned to their hotels.

Journalists covering the exercise also fled the premises to avoid possible attacks as panic spread within the party secretariat.

As of the time of filing this report, official results from six federal constituencies were still being awaited, further deepening uncertainty and controversy surrounding the APC primaries in Ondo State.

The delay in announcing the results has continued to generate anxiety among party members and supporters, with several aspirants still laying claim to victory in different constituencies.

The latest disruption is expected to worsen internal disagreements already threatening to widen cracks within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.