Ogun 2027: ‘How Was I Suspended Yet Allowed to Contest?’ Hunye Queries APC
Governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Hon. Abayomi Hunye, has questioned the circumstances surrounding his alleged suspension from the party, his subsequent participation in the nomination process and the recording of zero votes for him at the May 21 governorship primary.
Hunye raised the questions on Friday, September 18, 2026, at a press conference held at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Lagos, where he addressed the controversies surrounding his participation in the APC governorship contest and his ongoing legal challenge to the primary.
The APC had maintained that Hunye was suspended on April 7, 2026, following a petition from his Tube Ward in Ipokia Local Government Area, and subsequently reaffirmed Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as its recognised governorship candidate.
The party also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police on August 24, accusing Hunye of allegedly parading himself as its governorship candidate and seeking his investigation and prosecution over alleged impersonation and conduct capable of causing a breach of public peace.
But Hunye, at the press conference, said the APC’s position had raised fundamental questions about the chronology of events which, according to him, could be resolved by producing the relevant documents.
He asked how he could have been suspended on April 7 and subsequently allowed to obtain the party’s governorship nomination forms on April 28.
Hunye said he paid N50m for the nomination forms and was subsequently allowed to participate in the screening exercise before taking part in the May 21 primary.
“If I had already been suspended on April 7, why was I permitted to obtain the nomination documents on April 28? Why was my application processed? Why was I allowed to continue with the nomination process?” he asked.
He also questioned why the alleged suspension did not prevent him from participating in the screening exercise.
“If the alleged April 7 suspension was valid, subsisting and known to the relevant party authorities, why was I permitted to proceed through the screening process?” he asked.
The APC has previously said Hunye’s suspension was a grassroots decision initiated by his ward executives, subsequently ratified at the local government and state levels. The party has also insisted that Adeola remains its authentic candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Hunye challenges ‘zero vote’ result
The governorship aspirant also questioned the result of the May 21 primary in which Adeola emerged as the APC candidate and Hunye was recorded as scoring zero votes.
Rather than declaring the result fraudulent, Hunye demanded that the accreditation records, result sheets, agents’ reports and collation documents be made available.
“Is it possible for an aspirant to vote against himself?” he asked.
He said his campaign organisation had information indicating that some party loyalists voted for him during the primary, adding that some of his alleged supporters were also harassed or injured.
He therefore asked the APC to explain how the votes were recorded and collated.
“Where are the accreditation records? Where are the result sheets? What did the agents sign? How were the results collated and transmitted?” he asked.
The controversy over Hunye’s reported zero vote has previously attracted public attention, with the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, also questioning how an aspirant who participated in the primary could have been recorded with no vote.
‘I followed internal appeal process before court’
Hunye said he did not immediately approach the court after the primary, maintaining that he first pursued the internal mechanisms of the APC.
According to him, he wrote to the appropriate appeal committee and the party chairman seeking a review of the primary result and clarification of the issues he had raised.
He said he received no substantive response despite subsequently placing a public advertisement drawing attention to his appeal.
Hunye said he thereafter approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the process.
He stressed that his legal action was not aimed at undermining the APC or asking the media to declare him the party’s candidate.
“I am not asking the media to declare me the APC governorship candidate. I am not asking Nigerians to determine a matter before the court. I am asking that the facts surrounding the process be examined and that the law be allowed to take its course,” he said.
Hunye denies being sponsored by Adebutu
The aspirant also denied allegations that former Ogun State governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, was sponsoring his challenge against Adeola.
Hunye described the allegation as false and challenged anyone making the claim to produce evidence.
He said his legal challenge was based on his participation in the APC primary and the questions arising from the process, insisting that it was not a proxy battle against Adeola or an attempt to frustrate the emergence of a Yewa governor.
‘I am challenging process, not impersonating candidate’
On the allegation of impersonation, Hunye said there was a distinction between claiming to be the recognised APC candidate and challenging the process through which the party’s candidate emerged.
“I have not secretly appointed myself as the APC candidate. I have openly challenged the process through which the candidate was produced,” he said.
The APC had earlier described Hunye as a suspended member and accused him of unlawfully presenting himself as its governorship candidate. The party’s August 24 petition to the police sought his investigation, arrest and prosecution over the allegations.
Hunye, however, said he was relying on the judicial process to determine the disputed issues.
He called on the APC to produce the original suspension petition, suspension letter, evidence of service, minutes or resolution approving the suspension, records relating to his nomination and screening, as well as accreditation, voting and collation documents from the primary.
‘Let the documents speak’
The aspirant said the controversy would be better resolved through documentary evidence rather than political statements.
He urged journalists to independently examine the chronology and ask the APC how a person it claimed had been suspended on April 7 was subsequently allowed to obtain nomination forms, undergo screening and participate in the governorship primary.
Hunye also asked the media to investigate his internal appeal and the circumstances surrounding the reported zero votes.
He said he would respect the eventual decision of the court.
“I have chosen evidence. I have chosen the courts. I have chosen peace. And I will continue to choose the law,” Hunye said.
He also appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful and avoid insults, threats or attacks against political opponents.
The APC’s dispute with Hunye comes as the party prepares for the 2027 Ogun governorship election, with Adeola publicly recognised by the party as its candidate while Hunye continues to challenge the nomination process through the courts.
