The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified prominent governorship aspirant, Engr. Kayode Ojo, from its upcoming primary election in Ekiti State — a move insiders say tilts the contest firmly in favour of the incumbent governor, Abiodun Oyebanji.
The decision was reached on Thursday during a meeting of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), following the submission of the screening panel’s report on aspirants.
Ojo’s disqualification comes just weeks after another contender, Olajumoke Olawuni, was dropped, leaving only Governor Oyebanji and Omolayo Oluremi cleared to participate in the primary.
Ojo, a businessman and seasoned political figure, has had a long history of clashes with the APC establishment, having previously challenged party structures and contested the 2018 governorship election under the party’s banner.
“This is more about party stability than technical screening issues,” a top APC source hinted, suggesting that the national leadership is determined to prevent a repeat of factional crises that once fractured the party in Ekiti.
In a related development, the NWC also dissolved the APC State Executive Committee in Enugu — a strategic move widely seen as clearing the way for the anticipated defection of Governor Peter Mba from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu’s latest reform gestures in the justice sector were described as vital steps toward fostering reconciliation, rehabilitation, and restorative justice in Nigeria.
Comments