A coalition of civil society organisations has condemned what it described as the “kangaroo” adoption of Ekiti state Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming governorship election.
The coalition, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (COCSG), said the move was an assault on democracy and a dangerous precedent capable of undermining Nigeria’s political stability.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the coalition accused the APC leadership of subverting internal democracy by imposing Oyebanji on party members.
The statement was jointly signed by the President of COCSG, Comrade Oladimeji Olakunle Olatunji; Secretary, Okpanachi Jacob; Public Relations Officer, Kennedy Tabuko; and other leaders from affiliated organisations, including the Movement for Justice and Equity in Nigeria and the Zero Tolerance Anti-Corruption Network.
“History will not forgive our silence when democracy is under threat. Democracy must work for the people, not for the privileged few,” the coalition said.
It called on President Bola Tinubu, as the leader of the APC, to urgently intervene in the crisis and direct the National Working Committee to review the “illegal” adoption.
The group also urged the party to reinstate all screened-out aspirants, constitute a reconciliation panel, and ensure transparency in future primaries.
“An imposition can’t be labelled consensus; it is a failure of leadership,” the statement read.
According to the coalition, the process that produced Oyebanji “lacks credibility and violates the very essence of internal democracy,” adding that it has exposed the “deep-rooted impunity” within the Ekiti APC.
The groups warned that if the ruling party failed to correct the anomaly, it risked alienating its members and losing public trust ahead of the 2026 elections.
They also faulted the governor’s performance, describing his administration as “mediocre” and “devoid of progress” in key sectors such as education, healthcare, job creation, and infrastructure.
“Ekiti people deserve progress, not propaganda. Rewarding failure with automatic re-nomination is a betrayal of public trust,” the statement added.
The coalition further cautioned that internal injustice within political parties could erode faith in Nigeria’s democracy, noting that “if internal democracy dies, national democracy is under attack.”
