We Need Free and Fair Primaries” – Oyebade Warns ADC Against Imposition

…Questions Akinyelure’s Contribution to ADC…

Fresh tension may be brewing within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following strong objections raised by Hon. Prince Dr. Adeniran Oyebade over an alleged plan to impose a consensus candidate ahead of the party’s primary process.

Oyebade, who expressed dissatisfaction over reports that some members of the committee are trying to use Ayo Akinyelure as a consensus candidate, warned that he would strongly resist any attempt to manipulate the process in favour of what he described as an “eminently unqualified aspirant.”

According to him, Akinyelure only recently joined the party and allegedly contributed nothing to the growth and development of the ADC before obtaining an expression of interest form.

Oyebade questioned what he described as the “arrogance” of a candidate who reportedly walked into the party and immediately declared interest without prior consultation, participation, or investment in the affairs of the party.

The level of arrogance in a candidate can be seen when someone joins a political party and picks an expression of interest form without prior consultation or contribution to the growth of the party,” he said.

He further argued that any move by the party leadership to endorse such a candidate through consensus would amount to a betrayal of loyal members who had laboured to sustain the party structure.

According to Oyebade, several committed members made personal sacrifices for the development of the party, including contributing funds for the renting of the party secretariat where the screening exercise reportedly took place.

“Some of us contributed to securing the secretariat used for the screening and also supported charitable causes in the name of the party,” he stated.

The aggrieved chieftain insisted that only a transparent and credible primary election process would guarantee fairness and preserve internal democracy within the party.

“We need a free and fair primary process,” he stressed.