The lawmaker representing Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency of Ekiti State in the House of Representatives, Kolawole Akinlayo, has challenged the eligibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the constituency, Kunle Ibrahim, alleging that the former presidential aide failed to resign his appointment before participating in the party’s primary election.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Akinlayo alleged that Ibrahim was still serving as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters when the APC conducted its primary election for the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest development is the newest chapter in the dispute that has trailed the APC primary for the constituency, with Akinlayo continuing to contest Ibrahim’s emergence as the party’s candidate.
The lawmaker also argued that Ibrahim’s participation in the May APC primary contravened Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political appointees to resign before contesting elective positions.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Mr. Akinlayo maintained that Ibrahim remained in office and continued to perform the functions of his appointment at the time the primary election was conducted.
Mr. Akinlayo forwarded copies of Ibrahim’s April and May 2026 salary payslips to The PUNCH, insisting that “the documents undermine the former presidential aide’s claim that he had resigned before the primary election.”
The payslips, issued through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), indicate that “Ibrahim received a gross monthly salary of N1,043,176.88 in both April and May 2026. After tax deductions of N171,567.14, his net monthly salary stood at N871,609.74 for each month.”
He argued that the salary records showed Ibrahim remained on the Nigerian Government’s payroll during the period leading to the APC primary.
“If 2027 general elections. 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 tax payers’ money here in an economy where people are struggling to afford life’s basic necessities,” Akinlayo explained.
The lawmaker further contended that President Tinubu’s directive required political appointees interested in elective offices to vacate their positions before participating in party primaries.
“Ibrahim ought to have vacated office in March 2026, making the salaries paid to him in April and May subject to public scrutiny,” he stressed.
President Tinubu had directed political appointees seeking elective offices in the 2027 general elections to resign before participating in party primaries, a directive intended to ensure compliance with the Electoral Act and prevent the use of public office to gain political advantage.
Responding, Ibrahim’s Media Office dismissed Akinlayo’s allegations as the reaction of a defeated aspirant unwilling to accept the outcome of the primary election.
In a statement titled, “Setting the record straight: Why Akinlayo’s desperate allegations against Ibrahim Olarewaju are doomed to fail,” the former presidential aide urged the lawmaker to accept defeat and move on.
The statement read in part, “The recent media theatrics by Kolawole Akinlayo, following his decisive defeat at the APC primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, represent nothing more than a desperate attempt to manipulate public perception after failing to secure the mandate of the people.
“It is unfortunate, though not surprising, that a sitting lawmaker would choose to resort to falsehoods and petty innuendo rather than accepting the verdict of his constituents.
“For the sake of clarity and to protect the integrity of the process, we must set the record straight: 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 the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters was officially effective March 31, 2026.”
The media officer further said in the statement that the resignation was publicly reported and could be independently verified, noting that it was, “Widely reported in The Nation Newspaper on April 1, 2026, and further substantiated by his extensive interview with The Tribune on April 26, 2026.”
It further argued that Akinlayo could have confirmed the facts through official channels rather than making allegations in the media.
“Had Akinlayo been a serious contender rather than a purveyor of assumptions, he could have easily accessed facts of the resignation letter through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the statement further read.
The media office accused the lawmaker of attempting to tarnish Ibrahim’s reputation after failing to secure the party’s ticket.
He accused Akinlayo of choosing, “The path of character assassination, attempting to discredit a candidacy that has received the overwhelming nod of stakeholders, party delegates and members.”
The statement also dismissed Akinlayo’s complaints about the conduct of the primary, arguing that his rejection by delegates across the constituency explained his post-election grievances.
The dispute stems from the APC primary election conducted to select the party’s candidate for the Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections. Since the exercise, Akinlayo has challenged both the conduct of the primary and Ibrahim’s eligibility to participate, alleging non-compliance with the Electoral Act and President Bola Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective offices to resign before participating in party primaries.
