A governorship hopeful in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Abimbola Olawunmi, has openly criticized the party for allegedly forcing Governor Biodun Oyebanji on the people ahead of the 2027 election. He claimed that the party’s decision does not reflect the will of the public and vowed not to support the governor’s bid for a second term.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Olawunmi stressed that the APC’s internal primary process lacked fairness and transparency. According to him, if the primary election had been free and fair, he would have considered backing Oyebanji. However, the alleged manipulation has made him take a firm stand against the governor’s candidacy.

Olawunmi argued that many residents of Ekiti State are not interested in re-electing the governor, adding that Oyebanji failed to show the courage to compete fairly within the party. He questioned how the governor hopes to win a general election when he could not confidently face other party aspirants in the primaries.

He described the situation as undemocratic and warned that imposing candidates usually leads to poor leadership and public rejection. According to him, Ekiti citizens deserve the opportunity to choose their leader without interference or political pressure from those in power.

As the 2027 election draws nearer, political tension in Ekiti State appears to be rising. The remarks by Olawunmi may further deepen internal divisions within the APC as party loyalists and stakeholders begin to take sides on who should lead the state in the next political cycle.