By Pastor Stanley Ajileye
There are increasing reports from Lokoja suggesting that some influential figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State—particularly those aligned with former governor Yahaya Bello—are working to prevent genuine party primaries ahead of the next Local Government elections. If these manoeuvres go unchecked, the state may once again witness a repeat of the last LG polls, where what was advertised as an election was, in reality, a carefully curated selection process dressed up as democracy.
The tenure of the present Local Government officials is expected to end in October next year. Ordinarily, such a transition period should signal the beginning of robust political activity within parties: idea-based contests, grassroots mobilisation, fresh aspirants and transparent internal elections. Instead, what appears to be unfolding is an attempt to shut down competition long before it even begins. Even more disturbing is the claim that the so-called consensus being promoted is nothing more than a plot to return all current LG officials—individuals many say have been completely subservient to central authority and have never challenged the non-release of full LG allocations.
This is not consensus. It is an attempt to retain politically convenient placeholders while blocking the emergence of new leaders who may possess independence, competence and integrity.
A meeting reportedly held in Lokoja by political power brokers is said to have proposed that APC should forgo real primaries for the 21 chairmanship and 239 councillorship positions. The implication is straightforward: candidates will be handpicked, loyalty will trump competence, and imposition will replace choice. Such a system does not reflect democracy. It reflects internal authoritarianism masquerading as strategy.
The current developments mirror the events preceding the last Local Government elections in the state, when legitimate aspirants were sidelined, dissenting voices silenced and preferred candidates imposed under the guise of consensus. The message is clear: those who once wielded power arbitrarily now hope to retain influence by manipulating internal party processes. If the political class—both within APC and across the opposition—fails to push back, Kogi risks being boxed into a predetermined political outcome with long-term consequences for governance at the grassroots.
Nigeria’s Constitution and the Electoral Act emphasise democracy, internal party participation and periodic elections as the bedrock of governance. Section 14(2)(c) of the Constitution guarantees the participation of the people in their government. Section 7 guarantees democratically elected Local Government councils. The moment party primaries are manipulated or avoided, the eventual election becomes ceremonial rather than competitive. Even the APC Constitution prescribes democratic procedures for candidate emergence, requiring genuine primaries or authentic consensus—not prearranged deals.
Beyond the legality, the implications for Kogi’s political stability are profound.
First, imposition will deepen internal party crises. It is a major cause of defections, anti-party activities and protest votes. Kogi APC can ill-afford such fractures. Second, it weakens democracy at the grassroots where it matters most. Leaders who do not emerge through a credible process cannot be accountable to the people. Third, the alleged plan to retain officials who never questioned the incomplete release of LG allocations will entrench financial manipulation and underdevelopment. Fourth, allowing such impunity will create a dangerous precedent, encouraging future attempts to eliminate internal elections entirely. Fifth, exclusion breeds resentment, tension and conflict—conditions Kogi does not need at this time. Sixth, leaders imposed by a few cannot claim legitimacy from the many.
This challenge is not just an APC issue. It is a threat to everyone: genuine party loyalists seeking to contest, opposition parties hoping for a fair playing field, civil society actors monitoring governance and citizens who expect democracy to be meaningful.
Stakeholders must therefore act. APC members should insist on internal democracy and petition the national leadership. Opposition parties should closely monitor the process and seek legal redress where necessary. Civil society groups must speak up; silence would amount to endorsement. The media has a responsibility to expose these manoeuvres. And the state government must remember that democracy is not an optional gesture—it is a constitutional requirement.
The attempt to avoid real primaries in Kogi is undemocratic, unconstitutional and dangerous. This is not merely about which individuals get which positions. It is about the democratic soul of Kogi State. If political actors fail to rise to the challenge, the state risks a gradual slide into a political order where the will of a few overrides the rights of many. But if stakeholders stand firm, Kogi can reclaim its democratic space and ensure leadership that truly reflects the people’s will.
– Pastor Stanley Ajileye is a media and political consultant based in Kogi State.
