"Go on the Ground, Not the Internet": APC Deputy National Chairman Ben Nwoye Knocks Peter Obi, Opposition Over Ekiti Defeat
The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ben Nwoye, has dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities and vote buying trailing the recent off-cycle governorship election in Ekiti State.
Speaking live on Arise News, Nwoye defended the ruling party’s sweeping performance across all wards, describing the complaints from opposition figures as the typical rhetoric of "sore losers" who substitute digital social media hype for actual grassroots political structure. He specifically challenged opposition stalwarts like the Labour Party's Peter Obi and African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders to take their campaigns to local polling units rather than relying on internet followers.
"Democracy Happens at the Polling Unit, Not on X"
Responding to criticisms regarding why the APC required a heavy reinforcement of seven sitting governors and several principal National Assembly officers on the ground in Ekiti, Nwoye stated that massive political presence is standard practice for serious parties executing a strategic "get-out-the-vote" campaign.
He sharply contrasted the APC’s field operations with the virtual mobilization strategies used by high-profile opposition leaders.
"Democracy is not being on the internet and running around and mobilizing as if it is student union activism," Nwoye argued. "It’s about being on the ground. The Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, should have gone there with all his heavyweights and all his electronic media followers. They should have gone there and been on the ground. The people of Ekiti State spoke; they practice democracy at the polling unit, not on your internet, not in a television studio. Many of them don’t even have TV stations to watch us argue over these facts."
"Sore Losers Allege Fraud Because They Lack Structures"
Addressing claims made by the ADC governorship candidate regarding localized intimidation and violence—including an alleged assault that left a driver hospitalized—the APC chieftain noted that while the party condemns any isolated incident of violence, unverified allegations cannot weaken a historic democratic mandate.
"When people lose in the Nigerian context, they find it difficult to accept the outcome of an election," Nwoye remarked. "That is why at the end of every election, you hear those who contested take to the streets and the airwaves to talk about vote buying and ballot snatching. But he who alleges must prove. If you saw people buying votes, did you contact the security agencies? Did you contact the EFCC, whose agents move around to look for people involved in such criminal acts? Or do you just allege because you lost?"
Breaking a 27-Year Re-election Jinx in Ekiti
Nwoye maintained that the ruling party’s victory was a direct reward for the visible performance of Governor Biodun Oyebanji. He emphasized that the election results entered the history books by completely breaking an electoral trend that had defined Ekiti State since the return to civil rule in 1999.
"Our party won based on organizational strength. When you have a candidate who was able to unite all the stakeholders in Ekiti State—where all the former governors, serving senators, and former senators are in support of him—you will find it difficult to have opposition elements that can withstand such a framework. The result of it is a landslide victory. For the first time since the creation of the state, Ekiti is witnessing the consecutive re-election of an incumbent governor. He is in love with his people, and his people love him."
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