THERE WILL BE NO IMPOSITION OF FAILED CANDIDATE LIKE 2023, BICC ASSURES AKOKOS AS DR ATEGBOLE GAINS MOMENTUM

Auto Return Tickets: A Threat to Democracy and APC’s Electoral Strength

In the last political cycle, Dr. Ategbole’s experience served as a painful reminder of how internal party injustice can undermine democracy. After being unjustly denied victory in the primaries, he approached the courts for redress. Yet, at the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR—then National Leader of the APC—he was urged to withdraw the lawsuit in the interest of party unity. That sacrifice was made in loyalty to the party and in hope that fairness would reign in subsequent elections.

Today, as we approach another round of primaries, the same critical question arises: Will our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), uphold its progressive ideals of fairness, or will it fall into the trap of imposition and auto return tickets for non-performing legislators?

The very foundation of democracy is the right of the people to choose their representatives. Anything short of that is an insult to the electorate and a betrayal of the party’s core philosophy. Granting automatic return tickets to sitting representatives—many of whom have lost touch with their constituencies—is not only undemocratic but also dangerous to the future of APC. Such actions create resentment within party ranks, weaken grassroots loyalty, and ultimately threaten the party’s chances at the general elections.

The progressives must not destroy what they stand for. A **level playing ground** must be guaranteed for all aspirants—whether they are incumbents or fresh contestants. To favour a lawmaker who has failed to deliver, simply because of status or proximity to power, is to disregard the very people we claim to serve.

APC’s strength has always been in its people—the party members, the grassroots supporters, and the ordinary Nigerians who place their hope in progressive governance. Denying them the right to decide who represents them is a sure way to erode trust and push them into the arms of opposition parties.

If the APC must win convincingly in the forthcoming general elections, primaries must be transparent, competitive, and credible. No abracadabra. No manipulation. No imposed candidacy. Let the people’s choice prevail.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has always been known as a champion of democratic values, one who fought against autocracy and imposition in Nigeria’s political history. Now is the time to reaffirm that legacy. The President must insist that party primaries across the nation are conducted with fairness, justice, and true democratic process.

Anything less will not only rubbish the credibility of the progressives but also endanger APC’s victory at the polls.

Dr. Akeredolu O. N.

DG, BICC