A fresh crisis is brewing within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ondo State following protests by party members over the disqualification of aspirants seeking the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

The protesters, who stormed the busy Oyemekun Road in Akure on Thursday with placards, alleged that the disqualification process was influenced by bribery and warned that they would dump the party if the decision against a leading aspirant, Oluwafemi Balogun, was not reversed.

The aggrieved members described Balogun’s disqualification as unconstitutional and contrary to both the ADC constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists during the protest, a party leader, Mrs Akinyemi Abimbola, said members were fully prepared for the House of Assembly primary election before they were informed late Wednesday night that Balogun had been disqualified.

According to her, party leaders had earlier assured members that a transparent primary election would be held between the qualified aspirants.

Akinyemi alleged that the reason given for Balogun’s disqualification was related to his National Identification Number (NIN), which she argued was not part of the requirements under the Electoral Act.

She further accused some party leaders of attempting to impose unpopular candidates on members, noting that many of them left the Peoples Democratic Party because of similar grievances.

She said, “There is going to be a primary election, and every one of us should go and prepare. Till 12 am yesterday, we were still there, collating, working for our candidate. When we got to the party secretariat this morning, one of the chairmen from Ward 9 told us there was no election.

“This is what we have been fighting for outside the party. We want Nigeria to be good; that is why we are looking for somebody like Oluwafemi Balogun. No BAFEM, no election.

“We all agreed that there is going to be a primary election today, and all the leaders assured us that there would be a primary election between the two qualified candidates. And suddenly, overnight at 12 am, we saw a message telling us that BAGEM was not qualified because of NIN. And this NIN is not the qualification in the new Electoral Act.

“We left the PDP because of this issue of imposition. Otunba Omolade Oluwateru and others ganged up that we should boycott the election. That is why we left the party and came to the ADC.”

Balogun, while addressing supporters, insisted there was no basis for his disqualification, maintaining that he submitted all documents required by the screening committee from the party’s national secretariat.

The aspirant alleged that some influential figures within the party were plotting to impose a candidate on members, saying this was responsible for his disqualification.

“I have the NIN, and I showed it to them. Without NIN, I cannot do the membership card registration. I cannot open a bank account, and I showed them everything.

“That is how they normally do it; we cannot allow it because in 2019, I was the candidate of this party.

“I did not see anybody from there joining us. But now they believe that they can use their power to impose a non-indigene as a candidate. We cannot allow it. Akure is for Akure people, not for outsiders.”

Reacting to the protest, the Ondo State Chairman of the ADC, Chief Bashorun Tola Alabere, urged aggrieved members to seek redress through the party’s appeal committee rather than taking to the streets.

He advised those dissatisfied with the screening outcome to approach the appropriate organs of the party and avoid actions capable of tarnishing the image of the ADC in public. (Nigerian Tribune)