The atmosphere at Ward 5, Methodist Secondary School, Bodija, in Ibadan North Local Government was marked by growing tension and disappointment on Friday as party members waited endlessly for officials to arrive and conduct the delegate election for the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary ahead of the forthcoming bye-election for Ibadan North Federal Constituency.
FRESHPAGE correspondent at the venue observed that no officials had appeared at the venue to commence the election process, despite the presence of accredited party members, stakeholders, and security personnel. The delay has caused anxiety among loyal party members who gathered peacefully in anticipation of a transparent and timely exercise.
One of the delegates, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the lack of communication and coordination. “This is Ward 5. We are here at Methodist Secondary School, Bodija, and up till now, nobody has come to conduct the delegate election. We are ready, we are peaceful, but this silence and delay is disturbing,” the delegate said.
The APC in Ibadan North is widely regarded as one of the most politically active and influential in Oyo State, and expectations for an orderly primary have been high. However, the delay in the conduct of the delegate election is raising questions about internal preparedness and transparency.
Community leaders and stakeholders in the area have urged the party leadership to take swift action to avoid any breakdown of order. “Please, we don’t want wahala in our local government,” a concerned party elder said. “The people here are calm, but delays like this can create suspicion, unnecessary tension, and open the door for misinformation.”
As the hours pass without any formal explanation from party officials or the electoral committee, calls are growing louder for the APC leadership at both the state and national levels to intervene and ensure that due process is followed without undermining the credibility of the primary.
