Internal APC Crisis Deepens in Ekiti as Former Deputy Speaker Denounces Forced Endorsement of Boluwatife Fayose

Former Ekiti Deputy Speaker Hakeem Jamiu alleges assault during a party meeting as he denounces the forced endorsement of Boluwatife Fayose for the 2027 race.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 12:23 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent Nigeria

The Fracture of Party Unity in Irepodun-Ifelodun

A significant political rift has emerged within the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following a contentious constituency gathering on March 14, 2026. The Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, a prominent party chieftain and former deputy speaker, has publicly distanced himself from claims that he supported Boluwatife Fayose as a consensus candidate. According to Jamiu, the event was marketed as a standard constituency meeting but was instead used as a platform for a prearranged political maneuver. The incumbent legislator described the proceedings as a sham, asserting that the local party structure attempted to conscript him into an endorsement without prior consultation or democratic consent.

Allegations of Physical Violence and Political Intimidation

The internal dispute escalated beyond verbal disagreements when Jamiu reported being the victim of a targeted physical attack during the proceedings. According to the former deputy speaker, a sitting ward councillor assaulted him, using physical force and issuing explicit death threats in view of other attendees. Jamiu stated that he was violently pushed and handled roughly, an act he attributes to his refusal to align with the forced consensus arrangement. This escalation into physical intimidation suggests a volatile environment within the local party branch as different factions jockey for control ahead of the 2027 general election cycle.

Clarifying Official APC Consensus Guidelines

A central point of the legislative dispute involves a fundamental disagreement over the party's official primary guidelines. Jamiu argued that the current consensus arrangements within the Ekiti APC are strictly limited to local government chairmanship and councillorship positions, as decided during the last major stakeholders meeting. According to the lawmaker, no official directive has been issued that would authorize a consensus model for State or National Assembly seats. He characterized the attempt to nominate the son of former Governor Ayodele Fayose at this stage as premature and preposterous, noting that it bypasses the established democratic protocols of the party.