Ayodele Arise, chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and aspirant for the ticket of the Ekiti North Senatorial District, has described the party’s primary election as a sham.

He then urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the crisis trailing the outcome of the exercise.

In a statement at the weekend, Arise said state governors remained a major challenge for a smooth conduct of the recent APC primaries. 

Recall that the APC Committee, which supervised the process, had declared the sitting lawmaker representing Ekiti North, Senator Cyril Fasuyi, as the winner. 

However, Arise and other contenders for the ticket, including Dipo Bamisaye and Dare Owolabi, had since dismissed the outcome as fraudulent and manipulated.

Senator Arise, who represented the senatorial district between 2007 and 2011, said the primary was a sham and the party is paying lip service to the crisis the election had generated. 

“When we talk about internal democracy, it is still a very big challenge. It’s one thing for us to have a Constitution; it’s another thing for people to try to circumvent it or the guidelines for any election.

“That was demonstrated in no small measure when I tried to come back through the primary because I knew what was in the pipeline, so I went into it to prove a point.

“It will be a shame if some of us passed through this country and we don’t have the voice to correct the anomalies and let people know that if we want to practice democracy, let us practice it. If we don’t want it, it’s a different kettle of fish.

“The experience I had during the primary, I really don’t want to overbeat that because I believe the chairman of the party has spoken with Mr. President, and I think they are looking at all the challenges, and I am sure those of us who worked and won our elections will be given our mandate in due course.”

“As we discover problems, people respond to them, and I believe, more than anybody else, that our President has been very proactive in terms of fixing some of these challenges, working on them, and ensuring that corrections are made before it’s too late,” he stated. 

He added that “the issue of the governors is still a major problem in terms of trying to get to the Senate.

“Even when you aren’t contesting against them, if you aren’t their favored candidate, the chances of your making it are a little bit very challenging.” 

DAILY POST reports that the APC primaries that were held last month were marred with controversies. 

The Nigerian Fencing Federation made its mark at Invest Lagos 3.0, one of Africa’s foremost investment gatherings, where conversations about the continent’s future unfolded among government leaders, global investors, policymakers, diplomats, and business executives.

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Representing the Federation was its Vice President, Mrs. Rachael Samuel, who carried the voice of sport into a space traditionally dominated by commerce and policy, promoting the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

Organised by the Lagos State Government in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), the summit was designed to attract investment, strengthen international partnerships, and accelerate growth across key sectors.

The atmosphere was charged with ambition, as figures such as Lord Jonathan Marland, Chairman of CWEIC; Samantha Cohen, CEO of CWEIC; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; and Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, lent their voices to the dialogue.

For the Nigerian Fencing Federation, this was not simply another high-level event. It was a chance to weave sport into the broader narrative of development and investment, laying the groundwork for the upcoming Commonwealth Fencing Championships—a historic first for Lagos and a defining moment for Africa.

In the corridors of discussion, themes emerged that went far beyond the piste: the importance of strategic partnerships and sponsorships to sustain the Games; the need for sports infrastructure that leaves a lasting legacy; the promise of grassroots opportunities to inspire young fencers across communities; the drive to empower women and elevate their leadership in sport; and the groundbreaking introduction of disability fencing to a global competition in Africa, in partnership with World Ability Sport, ensuring inclusion and accessibility for all.

As Lagos prepares to welcome the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, these conversations underscore the transformative power of sport—not only as competition, but as a catalyst for development, inclusion, and social change.

Because fencing, like all sports, is not confined to the piste. It thrives in collaboration, in vision, and in the willingness to be present where opportunities are created.