A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayodele Arise, has criticised the party’s senatorial primary for Ekiti North, describing the exercise as lacking credibility and raising concerns about internal democracy within political parties.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Arise expressed dissatisfaction with the primary election that produced the incumbent senator, Cyril Fasuyi, as the APC candidate.
The former lawmaker, who represented Ekiti North in the Senate between 2007 and 2011, said the conduct of the primary reflected broader challenges facing internal democracy in Nigeria’s political system.
According to him, political parties may have constitutions and electoral guidelines, but the real challenge lies in ensuring compliance with those rules during candidate selection processes.
Arise said he participated in the primary despite reservations about the process in order to draw attention to what he described as irregularities and the need for reforms.
He expressed confidence in the appeal panel set up by the APC National Working Committee, saying he believes his petition challenging the outcome of the exercise will receive fair consideration.
“I have presented the facts before those reviewing the election and I believe the process will be thoroughly examined,” he said.
The former senator called for stronger safeguards to ensure that party primaries genuinely reflect the wishes of party members and constituents, stressing the need for transparent and democratic candidate selection processes.
He also raised concerns about the influence of sitting governors in party primaries, arguing that aspirants who lack the support of state governors often face significant obstacles in securing party tickets.
According to Arise, reforms are necessary to strengthen internal democracy and reduce perceptions that political offices are determined by powerful interests rather than competitive electoral contests.
On national issues, he commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Democracy Day address, describing the speech as balanced and reflective of both the achievements and challenges facing the country.
Arise said the President acknowledged the realities confronting Nigerians while outlining plans for national development and democratic consolidation, adding that ongoing reforms should be given time to produce results.
