Ajipe submits APC senatorial forms, warns against imposition

…says ignoring Owo, Ose after 20 years spells electoral disaster for Ondo North

A leading senatorial aspirant for Ondo North, Chief (Dr.) Alexander Oluremi Ajipe, has formally submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat, marking his official entry into the race.

Ajipe, a prominent APC stalwart in the South‑West and former South‑West Zonal Director for Social and Humanitarian Affairs in the Presidential Campaign Committee, described his candidacy as a movement for equity, inclusion, and party unity rather than a personal ambition.

He recalled that Owo Local Government last produced a Senator in 2007, nearly two decades ago, and has since remained in the political background while consistently delivering robust support for APC candidates across the state.

“For 20 years, Owo has waited, mobilised, and stayed loyal to the party,” Ajipe said. “We have supported others, carried the party on our shoulders, and now we are ready, united, and demanding equity. This is not a plea, it is an assertion of our rightful turn.”

He stressed the voting strength of Owo and Ose Local Governments, which together control the largest voting bloc in Ondo North. “Owo and Ose consistently deliver the highest poll numbers in the district,” Ajipe explained.

“Any attempt to sideline these two areas is not only unjust, it is electoral suicide for the APC,” he warned, noting that opposition parties such as PDP and LP are watching closely, ready to exploit any perception of injustice in the APC primary.

“A rigged or imposed primary will breed disillusionment, trigger defections, and fuel voter apathy,” he said. “What we have seen in other states can replay here if the party fails to conduct a free, fair, and transparent primary.”

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Drawing on his experience as South‑West Zonal Director for Social and Humanitarian Affairs in the Presidential Campaign Committee, Ajipe highlighted his role in building the party’s grassroots base across the South‑West during the 2023 presidential campaign.

That experience, he said, taught him that political stability and long‑term victory depend on fairness, inclusion, and listening to the grassroots.

He therefore called on the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Ondo APC leadership to ensure that the Ondo North primary reflects the numerical strength and democratic aspirations of Owo and Ose.

“Equity delayed for 20 years is justice denied,” Ajipe stated. “Give us a level playing field, let the most popular aspirant emerge, and we will defend Ondo North for the APC. Ignore the call for fairness, and the party will pay a heavy price at the polls.”

The ball, Ajipe concluded, rests squarely in the hands of the APC leadership.

“The question is not whether Owo and Ose can win, the question is whether the party has the political courage to do what is fair and just,” he said. “Listen now, or expect the consequences in 2027.”