Yagba: APC Leaders Blast Critics, Declare Abejide’s Victory Non-negotiable, Insist Democracy Must Prevail
Leaders of the APC across Yagba Federal Constituency have strongly defended Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide’s emergence as the party’s House of Representatives candidate for 2027, dismissing criticisms as political bitterness and insisting that the democratic choice of party members must be respected.
Prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across Yagba Federal Constituency have closed ranks in support of the emergence of Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide as the party’s candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election, insisting that the outcome of the primary election represents the unquestionable will of party members and must be respected.
Under the banner of the Leke Abejide Support Group (LASG), the party leaders dismissed ongoing criticisms surrounding Abejide’s emergence, describing them as reactions driven by political disappointment rather than genuine concerns about the democratic process.
The group maintained that Abejide neither inherited nor received the party ticket through imposition, stressing that he participated in the APC primary election and secured victory through a transparent contest conducted in accordance with democratic principles.
According to the leaders, attempts by some individuals to challenge the outcome of the exercise amount to an effort to undermine the collective decision freely made by APC members across Yagba Federal Constituency.
They noted that several of the voices now questioning the result had openly aligned with rival aspirants during the primary election but failed to convince delegates and party members to support their preferred candidates.
The APC stakeholders argued that the outcome reflected the overwhelming choice of party faithful across the constituency’s wards and should therefore be accepted in the interest of unity, party cohesion and democratic stability.
Describing post-primary campaigns aimed at discrediting the process as unhealthy for the party, the group urged aggrieved members to place the interests of the APC above personal ambitions and respect the verdict delivered at the polls.
The leaders also challenged arguments rooted in zoning and rotational arrangements, insisting that while such political understandings may serve as guiding principles, they cannot override constitutional provisions that guarantee every qualified Nigerian the right to seek elective office.
According to them, the Constitution neither restricts the number of terms a legislator may serve nor prevents eligible citizens from contesting elections based on geographical considerations.
They stressed that democratic governance is fundamentally about allowing the electorate to determine who best represents their interests, rather than restricting participation through unwritten political arrangements.
The group further argued that voters across the constituency are increasingly focused on performance, accessibility and tangible results rather than symbolic considerations.
In defending Abejide’s candidacy, the APC leaders pointed to what they described as his extensive record of constituency development, highlighting educational support programmes, youth and women empowerment initiatives, community development interventions and infrastructure projects executed across Yagba Federal Constituency.
They also referenced recent grassroots intervention programmes through which dozens of communities reportedly received direct financial support to undertake projects based on their immediate developmental priorities.
According to the group, the lawmaker’s record in office has earned him widespread acceptance among constituents and explains the strong support he enjoyed during the APC primary election.
“The people have become more interested in competence, delivery and measurable impact. They want leaders who understand their challenges and have demonstrated the ability to address them,” the leaders stated.
They warned against what they described as attempts to rewrite the narrative surrounding the primary election through media campaigns and public agitation, insisting that the democratic process had produced a clear and legitimate winner.
The stakeholders emphasized that no amount of pressure, political revisionism or propaganda could overturn a mandate freely granted by party members.
Reaffirming their confidence in the outcome of the exercise, they declared that the APC primary election had spoken clearly and that all party members should rally behind the candidate in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
“The verdict has been delivered by the people. The party members have spoken. Democracy has spoken. That verdict deserves respect and must be protected,” the statement concluded.
The statement was endorsed by several APC leaders, elected officials, stakeholders and grassroots mobilizers from across Yagba Federal Constituency, including the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo; Chairman of Yagba West Local Government and ALGON Chairman in Kogi State, Hon. Tosin Olokun; Chairman of Yagba East Local Government, Hon. Dare Joshua; Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government, Hon. Ademola Bello, alongside other prominent party leaders and stakeholders within the constituency.