The media office of House of Representatives aspirant, Hon. Ibrahim Olarewaju, has rejected allegations that he unlawfully participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, describing a SaharaReporters publication on the exercise as misleading and devoid of factual basis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hon. Olarewaju’s media team said the report, titled “Disquiet in Ekiti APC Over House of Reps Primary as Members Demand Probe,” relied on claims by unnamed individuals and failed to present the full circumstances surrounding the primary election.
The statement said Hon. Olarewaju complied with all legal and party requirements before contesting the primary, stressing that he resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters on 31 March 2026 in line with the directive issued to political appointees seeking elective office.
According to the media office, the resignation is a matter of public record and can be verified through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and previous media reports.
“It is therefore incorrect and misleading to suggest that his participation in the primary election violated any provision of the law,” the statement said.
The media office also defended Hon. Olarewaju’s professional reputation, describing him as an accomplished legal practitioner with extensive knowledge of constitutional law and a longstanding commitment to due process and democratic principles.
It argued that the former presidential aide had built his public service career on strict adherence to the law and would not knowingly breach constitutional provisions to pursue political office.
The statement further maintained that the APC primary reflected the wishes of accredited delegates from Moba, Ilejemeje and Ido-Osi local government areas, where Hon. Olarewaju secured victory.
It attributed his emergence to years of grassroots engagement and support within the constituency, dismissing suggestions that the exercise was manipulated.
The media office acknowledged that post-election grievances are common in democratic contests but urged aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to seek redress through the party’s internal mechanisms and other lawful channels rather than public campaigns capable of deepening divisions within the APC.
It also commended party leaders, delegates and members for conducting themselves peacefully during the exercise and praised aspirants who accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity.
The statement said Hon. Olarewaju had shifted his attention to reconciling party stakeholders and preparing the APC for the 2027 general election.
It urged members of the public to disregard what it described as speculative claims unsupported by evidence and expressed confidence in the ability of the party’s organs to address legitimate concerns fairly and in accordance with the law.
“The APC in Ekiti North Federal Constituency II is bigger than the ambition of any individual. Now is the time to strengthen party unity and work towards delivering greater dividends of democracy to the people,” the statement added.
