APC House of Representatives candidate for Idari Ifedori Federal Constituency, Razaq Obe, has warned that the substitution of candidates who emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections could weaken the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, Obe said the replacement of candidates who participated in and won the party’s primaries had affected the confidence and commitment of party members who supported the electoral process.

“It has weakened people’s passion. It has compromised their interests. It will be difficult to go into election the way it is and expect victory,” he said.

Obe, who emerged as the APC candidate for Idari Ifedori Federal Constituency, criticised the party’s decision to substitute his name with another candidate, describing the process as inconsistent with the party’s guidelines.

He stated that the primary election conducted on May 16 was properly supervised by the party’s election committee from Abuja, adding that the committee declared winners in line with the party’s electoral guidelines.

“For me, I received a document signed by the chairman declaring me the winner. After that, they had a press conference where they mentioned all of the winners around the state,” he said.

Obe questioned the basis for the substitution, stating that the candidate whose name replaced his did not go through the party’s appeal process.

“The individual they’ve announced did not even appeal to the appeal committee at all. So how did the National Working Committee not find an appeal process?” he asked.

He described the action as a departure from due process, arguing that affected aspirants should have been given the opportunity to respond before any decision was made.

“You can’t change the rule of the game at the middle of the game,” Obe said.

The APC candidate also called on President Bola Tinubu, as the leader of the party, to intervene and resolve the matter, warning that unresolved internal disputes could affect the party’s electoral prospects.

According to him, members who participated in the primary process may find it difficult to mobilise support if they believe their votes and efforts were disregarded.

“We have a history. We pursue justice to a logical conclusion. And nobody pushes us around in Ondo State,” he said.

Obe emphasized that the party must respect its internal processes and restore confidence among members ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We are not going to accept anything that is short of just the right thing,” he added.

His comments come amid growing concerns over internal disputes within political parties and the potential impact of candidate selection controversies on preparations for the 2027 general election. (Arise News)