Ibadan, April 29, 2026 — Four aspirants for the Oyo State House of Assembly, Oorelope State Constituency, have petitioned the All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership in Oyo State to uphold the constituency’s zoning arrangement ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that another bid by the incumbent could fracture party unity.
The aspirants — Barr. Muhammed Deji AbdulSalam, Hon. Samuel Adegoke Okunlade, Hon. Isaiah Bayo Oni, and Hon. Edward Mobolaji Oluwasogo — made the appeal in a letter dated April 29, 2026, addressed to the Oyo State APC Chairman. The letter was delivered both physically and electronically, they said.
According to the petitioners, zoning of political positions, especially the State House of Assembly seat, has been “an established culture and cherished practice” in Oorelope Local Government Area.
The arrangement, they explained, ensures equitable rotation among the various quarters that make up the council, and also mandates that the Assembly seat and party chairmanship be zoned to different quarters.
“This zoning arrangement has consistently promoted fairness, inclusiveness, and harmony within the party,” the letter read.
The four aspirants noted that the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Jimoh Lukman Ishola, who hails from Modeke Quarter, contested the seat twice on the APC platform — losing in 2019 but winning in 2023.
They said Ishola’s “open intention to contest for a third consecutive term in the 2027 general elections” would extend Modeke Quarter’s hold on the ticket across three election cycles — 2019, 2023, and 2027 — in violation of the zoning culture that requires rotation to another quarter after one term.
The petitioners added that the current APC chairman in Oorelope LGA is also from Modeke Quarter, which “makes a strong case for zoning the House of Assembly membership to other quarters, in line with the established zoning arrangement.”
The aspirants warned that failure by the state leadership under Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo to intervene could trigger “severe and far-reaching” consequences for the party.
“Specifically, it will create deep-seated resentment and a feeling of exclusion among party members and supporters from the other three quarters,” they wrote.
They said the move would “erode confidence in the internal fairness and democratic processes of the party,” trigger “internal divisions, hostility borne out of bitterness, and possible anti-party activities before and during the primaries,” and reduce grassroots mobilisation and voter turnout.
“This may even provide our opposition parties with potent leverage to exploit the negative narrative of marginalization against our dear party,” the letter stated.
“Ultimately, this brewing development may jeopardize the chances of the party retaining the Oorelope State House of Assembly seat in 2027 and weaken our structure ahead of future elections.”
The aspirants urged the State Executive Committee to “direct that the APC ticket for the Oorelope State House of Assembly seat in the 2027 elections be zoned to one of the other three quarters, apart from Modeke Quarter, which has represented in 2019 and 2023 elections.”
They argued that the intervention would “restore confidence, promote inclusiveness, and further strengthen the APC in Oorelope Local Government Area.”
The petitioners, who identified themselves as stakeholders from quarters including Obaago and Oseke, reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and expressed confidence in the state chairman’s leadership.
“We remain confident in your leadership and wisdom to handle this sensitive issue appropriately. We are also available at any time for further discussion or clarification on this matter,” they stated.
The letter was jointly signed by Barr. Muhammed Deji AbdulSalam, Hon. Samuel Adegoke Okunlade, Hon. Isaiah Bayo Oni, and Hon. Edward Mobolaji Oluwasogo, with their phone contacts attached.
