Aggrieved members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Oyo State on Tuesday staged a protest in Ibadan over alleged imposition of candidates and the recent upload of Adegboyega Adegoke’s name on the INEC portal.
The protesters, who are supporters of one of the party’s governorship aspirants, Dr. Gbemileke Alagbe, popularly known as “Eleniyan”, had also staged a protest last week.
The protesters first converged at Iwo Road chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “National Executives and INEC, Give Us Our Mandate in Oyo State ADC,” Adegoke , Aregbesola and INEC Compromised Our List, Judiciary Protect Our Mandate,”Return Our Mandate Now,” No to Electoral Injustice,”
“We Voted Alagbe, Not Adegoke, The People’s Voice Must Be Heard,”and “INEC! Uphold Democracy,” he said.
From Iwo Road, they marched to the premises of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS, and later to the state party secretariat at Mokola, Ibadan, demanding fair electoral justice.
Addressing journalists at the BCOS gate, one of the protesters, James Obasa, accused the ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, of handpicking candidates after primaries had been conducted.
He said: “We are here to make the world know about the injustice meted out to our candidate, Dr. Gbemileke Alagbe, by INEC and the National Secretary of the party, Rauf Aregbesola. We held a primary on May 22, 2026, and INEC monitored the election. They wrote their report and gave us a copy. But unfortunately, Aregbesola filled Form EC9 for Adegboyega Adegoke, who is not a member of the party. This protest is necessary to make the world know that Alagbe is the sole candidate of the party.
“The protest is against the injustice where our loyal party members who bought forms and were screened have been sidelined for anointed candidates. That is not democracy,” he added.
Responding, the Publicity Secretary of ADC in Oyo State, Bimpe Adelowo, who received the letter of complaint from the aggrieved members, acknowledged that party members voted during the primary election.
He urged the aggrieved members to remain peaceful while assuring them that their complaints would be forwarded for action.
