Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has rejected what he described as “kangaroo endorsements” of aspirants for State and National Assembly seats ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reports had indicated that leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across Ekiti’s 16 local government areas were endorsing candidates for legislative positions, allegedly under the directive of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
Speaking on Saturday at his country home in Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area, during an Easter gathering with party stakeholders, Fayemi condemned the trend, accusing “a few opportunists” of fueling division through unauthorised endorsements.
He stressed that aspirants should not rely on backdoor support but instead participate in transparent and credible primary elections or consensus arrangements where mutually agreed, in line with the 2026 Electoral Act.
“I made it clear that party members should disregard any rumours of endorsement of aspirants for the National Assembly. Our party remains committed to fairness, transparency, and respect for due process,” Fayemi said.
He noted that while consensus remains a valid option when genuinely agreed upon by all aspirants, primary elections are inevitable where such agreements fail.
Fayemi urged aspirants to engage party members directly and allow their track records and ideas to determine their chances, rather than depend on political patronage.
“Any serious aspirant must be ready to test their popularity and acceptability before party members, not through backdoor endorsements that would not help the party,” he added.
He also called on incumbent lawmakers to account for their performance, warning that failure to adhere strictly to the party constitution and the Electoral Act could trigger avoidable post-primary litigations.
Fayemi further emphasised the need for unity within the party, urging members to remain focused on securing victory for Governor Oyebanji in the upcoming June 20 election.
Reinforcing this stance, Ekiti APC Chairman, Sola Elesin, dismissed claims of any endorsement by the governor, describing them as “false, misleading, and driven by desperation.”
Elesin assured party members of a level playing field, noting that guidelines for candidate selection are yet to be released and reaffirming the party’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and internal democracy ahead of the primaries scheduled to begin later this month.
