33 Chairmanship, 351 Councilorship Candidates Drag Oyo APM To Court

Thirty-three chairmanship and 351 councillorship candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State have dragged the party before the Federal High Court in Ibadan, over reports of a fresh primary election for the forthcoming local government elections.

The plaintiffs, who emerged as candidates from the APM local government and councillorship primaries conducted across the state on 3 August 2026, are seeking to stop the party from conducting another primary for the same positions.

According to the court documents, the 3 August primaries were monitored by the Oyo State Independent National Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), with the results of the exercise subsequently submitted to the commission.

The candidates said the suit became necessary following reports that the APM National Chairman sought to have the earlier primaries nullified and to conduct another set of primaries.

The development came after factional candidates emerged in the party, with those backed by one of the party chieftains in Oyo State, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, reportedly competing with those backed by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether OYSIEC can accept or recognise more than one candidate nominated by the APM for the same local government or ward, particularly after monitoring the 3 August primaries.

They are also challenging the possibility of OYSIEC monitoring another APM primary for the same positions, arguing that the electoral body had already monitored the 3 August exercise.

The candidates further want the court to determine whether persons whose names were not contained in the party’s membership register submitted to INEC within the period prescribed by law can participate in the party’s primaries.

The suit has the Allied Peoples Movement, its National Chairman, OYSIEC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The plaintiffs are consequently asking the Federal High Court to grant the declarations and orders sought in their Originating Summons, as the dispute over the party’s candidates for the forthcoming local government elections continues.