The battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency of Ekiti State escalated on Tuesday after the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Kolawole Akinlayo, released documents he said prove that the party’s candidate, Kunle Ibrahim, remained a presidential aide when he contested the party’s primary election.
The latest development is the newest twist in a dispute that has trailed the APC primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Akinlayo has repeatedly challenged Ibrahim’s emergence as the party’s candidate, alleging that the former Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters failed to comply with President Bola Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective offices to resign before participating in party primaries.
The lawmaker also argued that Ibrahim’s participation in the primary violated Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates political appointees to resign before contesting elective positions.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Akinlayo maintained that Ibrahim remained in office and continued to perform the functions of his appointment when the primary election was conducted.
However, Ibrahim had earlier dismissed the allegation, insisting that he resigned in compliance with both the Electoral Act and the President’s directive before entering the race.
“I resigned my appointment as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters in compliance with the law and the directive of Mr President. Anyone who wants to verify can check with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Ibrahim said.
In a fresh move on Tuesday, Akinlayo forwarded copies of Ibrahim’s April and May 2026 salary payslips to journalists, insisting that the documents contradicted the former presidential aide’s claim that he had resigned before the primary election.
The payslips, generated through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), indicate that Ibrahim earned a gross monthly salary of N1,043,176.88 in both April and May 2026. After tax deductions of N171,567.14, his net monthly salary stood at N871,609.74 for each month.
Akinlayo argued that the records showed Ibrahim remained on the Federal Government payroll during the period leading to the APC primary.
“If he resigned in March, why was he paid in April? If the April payment was an error, why was he paid again in May? We are talking about taxpayers’ money in an economy where people are struggling to survive,” the lawmaker said.
He further contended that President Tinubu’s directive required all political appointees seeking elective positions to vacate their offices before participating in party primaries.
“Ibrahim ought to have left office in March 2026, making the salaries paid to him in April and May a matter of public concern,” he added.
President Tinubu had directed political appointees aspiring to elective positions in the 2027 general elections to resign before participating in party primaries, a move aimed at ensuring compliance with the Electoral Act and preventing the use of public office to gain political advantage.
Reacting to the latest allegations, Ibrahim’s media office described Akinlayo’s claims as the actions of a defeated aspirant unwilling to accept the outcome of the primary election.
In a statement titled, “Setting the Record Straight: Why Akinlayo’s Desperate Allegations Against Hon Ibrahim Olarewaju Are Doomed to Fail,” the former presidential aide urged the lawmaker to accept defeat and move on.
“The recent media theatrics by Kolawole Akinlayo, following his decisive defeat at the APC primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, amount to nothing more than a desperate attempt to manipulate public perception after failing to secure the mandate of the people,” the statement said.
The media office maintained that Ibrahim did not violate any electoral provision and insisted that his resignation became effective on March 31, 2026.
It added that the resignation was publicly reported by several media organisations and could be independently verified.
“Had Akinlayo been a serious contender rather than a purveyor of assumptions, he could have easily verified the facts through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the statement added.
The media office further accused the lawmaker of attempting to tarnish Ibrahim’s reputation after failing to secure the party’s ticket.
It also dismissed Akinlayo’s complaints about the conduct of the primary election, noting that he lost in all three local government areas that make up the constituency.
“No amount of mudslinging from a rejected politician will distract from the mandate he has rightfully earned,” the statement said.
The dispute, which centres on both the conduct of the APC primary and Ibrahim’s eligibility to participate, is expected to test the interpretation and application of the Electoral Act’s provisions on political appointees seeking elective office.
Whether the matter will be resolved through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism or end up in court remains uncertain.
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