The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified one of its top aspirants, Engineer Kayode Ojo, from contesting in the party’s upcoming governorship primary election in Ekiti State.
The announcement was made in Abuja on Thursday, October 9, by the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, who revealed that only the incumbent Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, and another aspirant, Omolayo Oluremi, were cleared to participate in the party’s primary election.
The primary is scheduled to take place on October 27, 2025.
Kayode Ojo’s disqualification came shortly after he stormed the APC state secretariat in Ado-Ekiti with a large crowd of supporters drawn from across the 16 local government areas of the state. His visit, which temporarily shut down parts of the capital due to the size of the crowd, was met with silence from party officials — no formal welcome or engagement was offered.
Although the party did not provide specific reasons for Ojo’s disqualification at the time of the announcement, the move has triggered surprise among political observers, especially given Ojo’s strong support base and previous involvement in the 2018 and 2022 governorship races.
Ojo, a successful businessman and engineer, has contested the APC governorship ticket before and was considered one of the leading challengers in the 2025 race.
Duro Meseko told journalists that the party’s screening process was thorough and fair, and that all aspirants were given equal opportunity to meet the required criteria.
“Only Governor Abiodun Oyebanji and Omolayo Oluremi have been cleared to contest in the primary. The screening committee followed due process,” Meseko said.
The disqualification of Ojo is expected to stir political reactions in the coming days, as his supporters may challenge the decision or shift their loyalty elsewhere. It also sets the stage for what may now be a less competitive primary, with Oyebanji seeking a second term in office.
