Tensions rose in Ibadan on Friday as youth members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) staged a protest over the party’s failure to present a candidate for the upcoming bye-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency.
The protesters, who gathered at the APC secretariat in Oke-Ado, accused the party leadership of sidelining loyal stakeholders following the crisis that trailed the disrupted primary election held on 19 July 2025.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed 16 August for the bye-election to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Hon. Musiliudeen Akinremi, who passed away on 10 July in Abuja. However, the APC is yet to formally declare a candidate, fuelling fears that the opposition may take advantage of the internal wrangling.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Segun Adetula said the youths felt betrayed after years of grassroots mobilisation and sacrifice.
“We have laboured hard for this party, especially in Ibadan North. It will be a huge loss if the APC is disqualified or fails to field a candidate,” Adetula said. “We expected the leadership to organise a credible primary. Instead, what we saw was confusion, violence and silence.”
Nine aspirants had earlier boycotted the primary, alleging widespread irregularities and manipulation. While some reports claimed a candidate had emerged, the boycotting aspirants insisted that no valid election was conducted.
The youths, waving placards and chanting solidarity songs, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and national leaders of the party to intervene before the deadline for candidate substitution lapses.
“If President Tinubu could submit himself to party structures, no one else should act above the rules,” Adetula added.
Observers Times recalls that the internal conflict has stirred anxiety within the APC’s Oyo chapter, which is now at risk of losing one of its key strongholds to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has already selected a candidate.
As of press time, party leaders in the state were yet to issue a formal response to the protest.
