The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Appeal Panel for the Ekiti Delegates Congress, Dr Dennis Otiotio, has said that the panel did not receive any petition over the exercise held on Saturday.

Otiotio, an APC Chairman in Bayelsa State, who spoke at a press conference on Sunday in Ado Ekiti, attributed the absence of a petition over the delegates congress to the unity and peaceful atmosphere within the party in Ekiti State.

Sunday Telegraph reports that the congress was for the election of delegates from across the 177 wards in the state, who will, during the party’s primary election on October 27, affirm Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, as the party’s candidate for the June 20, 2026, governorship poll.

Recall that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had announced Oyebanji as the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Ekiti State following the withdrawal of the second aspirant, Mrs Atinuke Omolayo, leaving only the governor in the race.

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Meanwhile, the party had earlier disqualified the remaining two aspirants, Kayode Ojo and Abimbola Olawumi.

Speaking on the development, Otiotio, however, lauded the peaceful and transparent conduct of the delegates’ congress held across the state.

Speaking at the party’s state secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, Otiotio said the panel did not receive a single petition or complaint from any of the 16 local government areas following the congress.

He said, “As part of the electoral process, the party constituted a five-man appeal panel to receive complaints from aggrieved members regarding the conduct of the delegate congress”.

The APC chieftain stated that a public notice had been issued and circulated to all APC local government secretariats, inviting members with grievances to submit their petitions between 6 pm on the day of the congress and 6 am the following day (Sunday).

“By 10 a.m., we were ready to review any petitions, but fortunately, none were received. This demonstrates the transparent manner in which the delegates’ congresses were conducted.

“We commend the committee that handled the process for doing an excellent job,” he said.

Otiotio, who praised Oyebanji, attributed the unity and peaceful atmosphere within the party to his inclusive governance style.

“It is evident that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s sterling leadership qualities have fostered harmony within the party. The consensus reached across all wards shows the level of cooperation among members,” he said.

The appeal committee chairman expressed confidence that the APC would perform excellently in the forthcoming governorship election.

He appreciated the National Working Committee of the party for the confidence reposed in the appeal panel.

The Ekiti State APC Chairman, Mr Olusola Elesin, who said that the delegates congress was conducted peacefully and without any form of malpractice, said, “I am glad to inform you that the election was hitch-free across the state.

“We have not received any report of irregularities, and no committee member is being sanctioned.”

Elesin lauded the electoral committee for its diligence and transparency, expressing optimism that the appeal panel would find no issue to contest.