As stakeholders warm up for the bye-election to fill the vacant Ibadan North Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state, Alhaji Olayide Abas, has assured that only the constitutional and democratic option would be employed to pick the party candidate among the crowd of aspirants who have indicated their individual interest to secure the APC ticket.
Alh. Abas made the declaration at a stakeholder meeting held on Thursday at the Oke-Ado Secretariat of Oyo APC. The meeting, according to the party chairman, was organized to kickstart the process of reclaiming the seat which became vacant following the transition of Honorable Olaide Akinremi who was on his second term in office under the platform of the Progressive party.
His words; “It took us several weeks to come to term with the reality of the demise of our man, Prince Akinremi, who was one of the best performing federal lawmaker in the country and because nature abhors vacuum, it is imperative we find a replacement in as much as it is an established fact that only the APC can present the likes of the deceased occupant of the seat.
“We are aware of the fact about 20 members of the APC in Ibadan North Federal Constituency have indicated their interest to emerge as the candidate of our party in the anticipated bye-election and I am particularly delighted each of the interested aspirants is more qualified to represent the all-important constituency in the Green Chamber. However, the high number of aspirants is raising some dust but I can assure that we will be fair to all concerned.
“Ibadan North Federal Constituency cannot afford to have a representative whose voice would not be heard on account of party inferiority and this is another justification for a candidate of the APC to return to that seat. All hands are already on deck as stakeholders from within and outside the state have indicated their readiness to rally round the candidate of our party. We can only appeal to party leaders, aspirants and other concerned individuals and groups in the federal constituency to cooperate with us as we are poised to midwife a free and fair process in picking the party candidate very soon.” Abas said.
Speaking on behalf of the party aspirants who attended the meeting, Hon. Musibau Ayinla lauded the leadership of the Oyo APC for their show of pragmatism and assurance of fairness to the aspirants. “We are indeed gladdened by what we have seen so far from the Alh. Olayide Abas-led leadership of our great Party. We (the aspirants) what is at stake and we would not disappoint party members as well as the good people of Ibadan North. We shall all submit to the decision to conduct a hitch-free primary even as we all pledge to support whoever that gets the ticket from amongst us.”
Other aspirants who attended the meeting were; Olusegun Olaleye (Radical Brother), Wale Olatunji (Murphy), Adekunle Oladeji, Umar Arisekola Alao, AbdulRasaq AbdulGaniyy, Khalil Mustapha, Kamil Omotosho, Taofeek Aderogba and Idris Babatunde Lapade. Also, some State party leaders who were present at the meeting included; Alh. Tajudeen Olanite, Hon. Mojeed Olaoya, Hon. Kehinde Subair, Alhaja Tinuade Adigun, Hon. Olawale Sadare, Hon. Afeez Bolaji Repete, Hon. Prince John Aremu, Hon. Akeem Olatunji and Hon. Sayo Fatoki.
