President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep displeasure over the conduct of the All Progressives Congress legislative primaries, distancing himself from widespread reports of candidate imposition and directing the party’s national leadership to take corrective action.

Reliable information emerging from Bourdillon, his Ikoyi residence, following a late-night meeting with South-West APC leaders, indicates that the President was visibly unsettled by the turn of events across the country during the primaries.

“I am a party constitutional democrat. Yes, I gave governors the privilege to coordinate and take charge of party affairs in their respective states, but I did not ask anyone to impose candidates indiscriminately. Even where necessary, no one should be a judge in his own case,” the President was quoted as saying by sources privy to the meeting.

Tinubu further disclosed that he had since moved to address the fallout. “Where free and fair primary elections did not take place, I have directed the National Chairman and National Secretary to do the needful in restoring the integrity of the party,” he said.

The intervention comes against a backdrop of mounting tensions across the country. The nationwide APC legislative primaries generated significant controversy, with the process in states including Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, Benue and Adamawa drawing fierce challenges from aggrieved aspirants and party members who alleged irregularities, voter intimidation, candidate imposition and the deliberate sidelining of delegates.

APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has since responded to the brewing crisis, warning that any party member or aspirant found instigating violence or working to undermine the process would face severe disciplinary measures, including immediate suspension.