Dispute Grows in Ekiti APC Primary as Lawmaker Reveals Rival's Salary Details

The fight over the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Ekiti State’s Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency is heating up. Kolawole Akinlayo, who represents the constituency, has shared salary records that he says raise new questions about the eligibility of Kunle Ibrahim, the party’s candidate.

Akinlayo claims he got copies of Ibrahim’s payslips for April and May 2026. He insists these documents show that the former presidential aide was still on the federal payroll after saying he had resigned from his job.

This news comes after Akinlayo’s call on 29 June for APC leaders to enforce the rules in the Electoral Act to settle the dispute over the primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II. He believes following the law is key to keeping the party’s nomination process clean and avoiding legal issues ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The main issue is whether Ibrahim, who was a Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on National Assembly Matters, followed the legal and party rules before running in the primary.

Akinlayo has insisted that Ibrahim did not meet the requirements set out in Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026. This section states that political appointees aiming for elective office must resign before taking part in party primaries. He also mentioned President Tinubu’s order that political appointees wanting to run in the 2027 elections should leave their positions before joining nomination processes.

According to Akinlayo, the salary records contradict Ibrahim’s claim that he resigned before the primary election. "If he resigned in March, why did he collect salary in April? If he was paid in error in April, why again was he paid in May? We are talking about taxpayers’ money in an economy where many Nigerians are struggling to meet basic needs," the lawmaker said.

He argued that political appointees running for office should leave their jobs before participating in party primaries. He believes the continued salary payments after the alleged resignation deserve public attention.

Ibrahim could not be reached for comment on this latest claim, but he had previously rejected earlier accusations, saying he fully followed both the Electoral Act and the President’s order.

"I resigned my appointment as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters. This complied with the law and the President’s directive. Anyone who wants to verify this can do so through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation," he said in an earlier interview.

On Tuesday, Ibrahim’s media office responded to the new claims. They called Akinlayo’s statements the actions of a defeated candidate unwilling to accept the primary’s results.

In a statement titled, "Setting the Record Straight: Why Akinlayo’s Desperate Allegations Against Hon Ibrahim Olarewaju Are Doomed to Fail," the media office said that Ibrahim’s resignation was effective on 31 March and did not break any electoral rules.

The statement added that the resignation was publicly reported and can be independently checked. "Hon Ibrahim Olarewaju, a man of integrity and deep respect for the rule of law, was never in violation of any electoral provision. His resignation as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters officially took effect on March 31, 2026," it read.

The media office also accused Akinlayo of trying to undermine the APC candidate after losing the primary election. "It is unfortunate that a sitting lawmaker would resort to falsehoods and innuendo rather than accept the verdict of party delegates. No amount of mudslinging from a rejected politician will distract from the mandate he rightfully earned," the statement concluded.