Fresh controversy has erupted within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency after reports and videos emerged showing participants allegedly receiving ₦2,000 each following Saturday’s controversial ward primary election at Monatan Ward 5.
What many party members expected to be a transparent democratic exercise reportedly turned into what critics are now describing as a “political affirmation ceremony with cash souvenirs.”
Instead of the conventional ballot voting process expected during party primaries, the election was conducted through a “Yes or No” affirmation arrangement — a method that has continued to trigger outrage across several APC wards in the constituency.
During the exercise, one of the aspirants, Hon. Lafioye Akinmoyede, addressed party members and sought verbal endorsement from attendees through the now controversial “Yes or No” response method.
At the end of the process, Hon. Akinmoyede was declared winner of the APC primary election in the ward.
However, the announcement immediately sparked questions among party faithful and political observers, many of whom openly challenged the transparency, credibility, and democratic legitimacy of the process.
For several aggrieved members, the biggest shock came after the exercise ended.
Videos obtained from the venue allegedly showed individuals who participated in the primary election receiving ₦2,000 each shortly after leaving the event ground — a development that has now fueled widespread political backlash and accusations of inducement.
Critics say the incident paints a disturbing picture of the state of internal democracy within Nigerian political parties, where affirmation appears to be replacing voting, while cash distribution allegedly becomes the reward for silence and compliance.
Many party supporters expressed concern that the process reduced members to spectators in decisions already allegedly concluded behind closed doors.
“This is no longer democracy. This is endorsement packaged as election,” one angry observer reportedly stated at the venue.
Others questioned whether the controversial affirmation process and subsequent cash sharing could further damage public confidence in the credibility of party primaries ahead of future elections.
The incident has also intensified conversations about vote inducement, political patronage, and the growing culture of monetized politics within Nigeria’s political system.
For many critics, the issue goes beyond ₦2,000.
They argue that the real danger lies in what they describe as the normalization of political processes where transparency is absent, accountability is weak, and grassroots members allegedly become tools for validating predetermined outcomes.
Despite the heavy criticism and tension surrounding the exercise, the primary election ended peacefully without any report of violence or disruption.
But politically, the controversy is far from over.
Because across Monatan and beyond, many are now asking the same uncomfortable question:
Was it truly a democratic primary election — or just another carefully staged political performance where “Yes,” cash, and compliance mattered more than actual votes?
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