By John Alechenu
ABUJA — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and aspirant for the Ekiti North Senatorial District ticket, Senator Ayodele Arise, has criticised the party’s recently conducted senatorial primary in the district, describing the exercise as lacking credibility and raising concerns about internal party democracy.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Arise expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the primary election, which was won by the incumbent senator, Cyril Fasuyi, according to the committee that supervised the exercise.
Arise, who represented Ekiti North in the Senate between 2007 and 2011, said the conduct of the primary highlighted persistent challenges facing internal democracy within political parties.
According to him, while political parties may have constitutions and electoral guidelines, the real challenge lies in ensuring compliance with those rules during elections.
He explained that he participated in the primary despite concerns about the process, saying his objective was to draw attention to what he described as irregularities and the need for reforms.
The former lawmaker expressed confidence that the appeal panel established by the APC National Working Committee would give fair consideration to his petition challenging the outcome of the exercise.
“I have presented the facts before those reviewing the election and I believe the process will be thoroughly examined,” he said.
Arise called for stronger safeguards to ensure that party primaries reflect the wishes of party members and constituents, stressing the importance of transparent and democratic processes in candidate selection.
He also raised concerns about the influence of sitting governors in party primaries, arguing that aspirants who do not enjoy the backing of state governors often face significant challenges in securing party tickets.
According to him, reforms are needed to strengthen internal democracy and reduce the perception that political offices are determined by powerful interests rather than competitive electoral processes.
On national issues, Arise commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Democracy Day address, describing the speech as encouraging and reflective of both the achievements and challenges confronting the country.
He said the President’s remarks acknowledged the realities facing Nigerians while outlining plans for national development and democratic consolidation.
Arise added that the administration’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and pursue development initiatives should be given time to yield results, noting that meaningful reforms often require patience and sustained implementation.
