Leaders and critical stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ayeteland in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State have unanimously adopted Engr. Saheed Adeyemi Oladele (SAO) as their sole aspirant for the Ibarapa Central/North Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives ahead of the party’s 2026 primary election.
The decision was formally announced on December 23, 2025, during a strategic visit by APC leaders to the palace of the Asawo of Ayeteland, HRM Oba Emmanuel Ewuola Okeniyi, Borisabunmi Aremu I. The delegation was received with wide enthusiasm, as party members and residents of Ayete township trooped out in large numbers to affirm what leaders described as a deliberate political and traditional consensus aimed at restoring Ayete’s presence in the National Assembly.
Speaking at the palace, party leaders said the adoption of a sole aspirant was a calculated move to strengthen internal cohesion, eliminate factional rivalry, and present a united APC front capable of reclaiming the federal seat for Ayeteland and Ibarapa North at large.
They recalled that Ayeteland last produced a member of the House of Representatives in 1999, when Hon. R. O. Ojegoke won the Ibarapa Central/North seat under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), stressing that the current consensus marks a historic attempt to reverse decades of political marginalisation.
Party leaders clarified that the decision did not emerge overnight. Rather, it was the outcome of an intensive consultative process initiated as far back as June 2025, when APC leaders, stakeholders, and aspirants from the Ayete zone collectively agreed to work towards producing a single aspirant for the party’s primary election.
To actualise this goal, a four-man reconciliation and selection committee was constituted, comprising: Dn. S. A. Ayanleke, JP, former Caretaker Chairman, Ibarapa North LGA, Hon. Prince Stephen A. Ojelere, former Caretaker Chairman, Ibarapa North LGA, Hon. R. O. Ojegoke, former Member, House of Representatives, Chief (Hon.) Fatai Salau, Jagun of Ayeteland and former Oyo State Commissioner for Special Duties.
The committee was mandated to harmonise interests, evaluate aspirants, and recommend a candidate capable of uniting the party and winning the primary election scheduled for 2026.
On December 14, 2025, the committee announced its final decision, formally endorsing Engr. Saheed Adeyemi Oladele (SAO) as the sole APC aspirant from Ayete. The committee also appealed to other aspirants to step down in the interest of party unity and collective victory.
While presenting SAO, APC leaders urged him to remain humble, magnanimous, and inclusive, stressing the need to work with former contenders and stakeholders across wards and communities to secure victory for the party and meaningful representation for the constituency.
Following the palace visit, the leadership delegation proceeded to Wards 1, 2, and 7 in Ibarapa North LGA, where Engr. Oladele was officially introduced to party executives, grassroots members, and community leaders as Ayete’s consensus aspirant.
Notable APC leaders present at the meeting included Dn. S. A. Ayanleke (APC Leader, Ayete), Hon. Stephen Ojelere, Hon. R. O. Ojegoke, Deacon Dayo Aborode (former Vice Chairman, Ibarapa North LGA), Chief (Hon.) Fatai Salau, Alhaji Hassan Ogundeji (Ward 2), Hon. Soliu Ayanwale (Ward 2), Alhaji Tajudeen Gbolagade (former LG Party Chairman), Hon. Waheed Sabitu (LG Party Secretary), Hon. Riskat Makanjuola (former Councillor, Ward 2), Hon. Dare Motunolase (former Leader of the House), Hon. Waheed Ganiyu (former Chief of Staff to the Chairman), alongside other party executives and community stakeholders who openly pledged their support.
Engr. Saheed Adeyemi Oladele (SAO) is a product development engineer based in the United States and a well-known advocate for community development and youth empowerment in Ibarapa land. His developmental interventions are coordinated through the Ganiyu Oladele Foundation (GOF), established in honour of his grandfather, Pa Ganiyu Onikola Oladele, a respected political figure during the era of the late Chief Bola Ige.
Through the foundation, Oladele has supported multiple initiatives across Ibarapa, including digital skills training for youths, scholarship schemes, UTME sponsorship for indigent students, laptop distribution, construction of a motorised borehole in Gaaa Community, Ayete, youth sports development, and the distribution of relief materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing party members, Oladele unveiled a seven-point people-centred agenda focused on inclusive growth and modern governance. Key pillars include attracting private investment into distributed power systems through the Electricity Act, revitalising agriculture through technology-driven value chains, youth empowerment and digital transformation, improved access to quality and digital education, enhanced security using intelligence-led systems, and transparent, accountable representation.
He further pledged to establish ICT training platforms, facilitate access to international scholarships, empower artisans and women, and position the constituency for sustainable economic growth.
With the consensus endorsement now sealed, APC leaders insist that Ayeteland has taken a decisive step toward reclaiming its place at the national decision-making table.
