Mature Minds Digital Radio & TV
Tension within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State resurfaced on Tuesday, 29th September, 2026 as a group of party members and stakeholders staged a peaceful protest over the party’s House of Representatives ticket for the Ekiti South-West/Ikere/Ise-Orun Federal Constituency.
The protesters expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the party’s primary election and called on the APC leadership to intervene in what they described as an internal crisis surrounding the party’s representation in the constituency.
The group demanded the return of the incumbent lawmaker, AVM Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo (rtd.), whom they described as their preferred candidate, while raising concerns over the emergence of Engr. Toyin Okoro as the party’s candidate.
Recent reports indicate that Okoro emerged from the APC primary conducted on May 16, 2026, while Ojuawo, who currently represents the constituency in the House of Representatives, has continued to challenge aspects of the process.
Protesters Cite Constituency Projects
Speaking during the protest, Mr. Bode Faluyi of Ward 4 said many people in Ise/Orun preferred Ojuawo because of what he described as his contributions to the development of the constituency.
Faluyi cited the proposed establishment of a Federal College of Agriculture in Ise/Orun among the initiatives associated with the lawmaker, alongside the provision of boreholes and solar-powered streetlights.
According to him, the support for Ojuawo cuts across both male and female residents of the area.
“Both male and female in Ise/Orun want him because of his good works,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Modupe Jegede, popularly known as Famous Garden, said Ojuawo remained the choice of the people of Ise/Orun because of his relationship with constituents and the interventions attributed to his representation.
She listed areas including employment opportunities, support for market women, widows and farmers, road infrastructure and interventions at the Ise/Orun General Hospital.
She also maintained that Ojuawo’s interventions had extended beyond Ise/Orun to other parts of the federal constituency, including Ikere, Ogotun, Igbara-Odo and Ilawe.
Protest Letter Presented to APC Leadership
Presenting a protest letter addressed to the leadership of the APC, Hon. Ogunjemilua Busuyi Steven, a former Secretary of the Ise/Orun Local Government Council who represented party leaders at the protest, appealed to the national and state leadership of the party to urgently intervene.
He said the intervention was necessary to address what the protesters described as a crisis within the party structure in Ise/Orun and to prevent further tension among party members.
The letter stated that the protesters and their supporters were firmly behind Ojuawo and wanted him to continue as their representative at the National Assembly.
The development adds another layer to the ongoing disagreement surrounding the APC’s representation in the constituency. The Okoro campaign has, in separate statements, accused Ojuawo of actions capable of undermining party unity and alleged that he was behind protests against Okoro’s candidacy. Ojuawo has denied involvement in the petition against Okoro.
The dispute has also attracted public attention following reports that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) questioned Okoro in September over allegations under investigation. Those allegations remain allegations and should not be treated as established wrongdoing.
As the 2027 general election approaches, the disagreement places the focus on the APC’s ability to manage competing interests within the Ekiti South-West/Ikere/Ise-Orun constituency and resolve the issues through the party’s established mechanisms.
Mature Minds Digital Radio & TV will continue to monitor developments surrounding the APC dispute and bring verified updates to the public.
