The controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Ekiti State’s Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency has escalated. Kolawole Akinlayo, the current representative for the constituency, has released salary records that he claims raise fresh questions about the eligibility of the party’s candidate, Kunle Ibrahim.
Mr Akinlayo stated that he obtained copies of Mr Ibrahim’s payslips for April and May 2026. He insists that these documents prove the former presidential aide remained on the federal government payroll after claiming to have resigned his appointment.
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This development follows Mr Akinloyo’s call on 29 June for the APC leadership to strictly apply the provisions of the Electoral Act to resolve the dispute regarding the primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II. The lawmaker argued that adherence to the law is necessary to protect the integrity of the party’s nomination process and prevent legal challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the centre of the disagreement is whether Mr Ibrahim, a former Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on National Assembly Matters, complied with legal and party requirements before contesting the primary.
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Mr Akinlayo has repeatedly argued that Mr Ibrahim failed to meet the conditions set out in Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political appointees seeking elective office to resign before participating in party primaries. He also cited President Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees interested in contesting the 2027 elections to vacate their offices before participating in nomination processes.
According to Mr Akinlayo, the salary records contradict Mr 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 maintained that political appointees seeking elective offices were expected to vacate their positions before participating in party primaries and argued that continued salary payments after the purported resignation warranted public scrutiny.
Ibrahim insists he resigned
While Mr Ibrahim could not be reached for comment regarding this latest allegation, he had previously dismissed earlier claims, insisting that he fully complied with both the Electoral Act and the President’s directive.
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“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.
Responding to the latest allegations on Tuesday, Mr Ibrahim’s media office described Mr Akinloye’s claims as the actions of a defeated aspirant unwilling to accept the outcome of the primary.
In a statement titled, “Setting the Record Straight: Why Akinlayo’s Desperate Allegations Against Hon Ibrahim Olarewaju Are Doomed to Fail,” the media office asserted that Mr Ibrahim’s resignation took effect on 31 March and did not breach any electoral provision.
The statement said the resignation was publicly reported and could be independently verified. “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 further accused the lawmaker of attempting to discredit the APC candidate after the lawmaker lost 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 added.
