Ex-lawmakers, Makinde’s men eye vacant Oyo Rep’s seat

No fewer than 20 persons have shown interest in occupying the vacant Ibadan North federal constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

The seat became vacant following the death of Honourable Musiliu Akinremi of the All Progressives Congress on July 10.

Akinremi, who, until his demise, was Chairman, House Committee on Science Research Institutions, was buried at his Ibadan residence on July 11.

Though waiting on the Independent National Electoral Commission to fix the date for the bye-election, several of those eyeing the seat have continued to reach out to get support from leaders, stakeholders, members of their party and their constituents for their bid.
An official of the INEC hinted The PUNCH that the commission is likely to fix a date for the bye-election after it concludes the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.

In seeking to get the sole candidature of their parties, those interested in contesting the Ibadan North federal constituency seat have continued to dole out money to their constituencies under various guises while making commitments to constituents as party stakeholders.

The quest to gain the support of party members has been more noticeable in the folds of the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the Labour Party, while those of other parties say they are waiting on INEC to blow the whistle for the race to begin.
The APC has a larger number of aspirants working underground to be the candidate of the party.
They include Honourable Segun Olaleye, who is a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly; Mr Umar Arisekola-Alao, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports; Mrs Olamide Junaid, an entrepreneur; Mr Adekunle Oladeji, a former local government chairman; Mr Saheed Aderounmu, chief detail to former governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Others seeking the APC ticket for the election include Adewale Akinremi; AbdurRasaq AndulGaniy; Wale Olatunji; Wasiu Adebayo Akinremi; Monsur Akin Adeyemo; Taofeek Aderogba; Yinka Omikunle and Adebayo Adegoke.

The PUNCH gathered that the APC leadership may resort to the conduct of a direct primary to choose its standard-bearer for the election.

The PDP also has a loaded list of aspirants, including Mr Lanre Sarumi, the party’s candidate, who lost to Akinremi in the 2023 election; Honourable Dada Awoleye, a former member who represented the same Ibadan North constituency and caretaker chairman of the PDP in Ogun State.

Others keen on the PDP ticket are Mr Taiwo Lekan-Salami, who was also the party aspirant for the 2023 election; current Deputy Chief of Staff to the Oyo State Governor, Honourable Fola Oyekunle, and Mr Yinka Bibiire, a former Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.

Some party stakeholders noted that the choice of Governor Seyi Makinde, as leader of the party, would determine who gets the PDP ticket for the election.
They are upbeat about the party’s chances, noting that the party is popular in the state and that the APC would not be able to post a unified front for the election.

The Labour Party has Femi Akin Dexter-Alamu, its candidate for the same seat in the 2023 election, as an aspirant on the platform of the party, thus far.