The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council on Monday congratulated the winners of the National Assembly elections, conducted on Saturday in the state, with a charge to the victorious candidates to be magnanimous in victory.
This was contained in a statement personally endorsed by the Chairman of NUJ in the state, Chief Ademola Babalola, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital through the Union’s State Secretary, Sola Oladapo.
The candidates of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state won the three senatorial seats of Oyo South, Oyo Central and Oyo North. The three senators-elect are Senator Abdulfatai Buhari ,who has been re-elected for a third consecutive term for Oyo North. Dr Yunus Akintunde for Oyo Central, and and Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, a former Secretary to Oyo State Government for Oyo South.
Some APC House of Representatives candidates and their counterparts in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), across some of the 14 federal constituencies have also been declared winners in their respective constituencies.
The NUJ Chairman also congratulated the winners of the election into the House of Representatives, including Hon. Abass Adigun Agboworin of PDP (Ibadan North East/South East); Anthony Adepoju of PDP (Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North); Oyeshina Oyedeji of PDP (Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola); and Hon. Stanley Olajide Odidiomo of PDP (Ibadan North West/South West).
Babalola felicitated Hon Akeem Adeyemi of Oyo federal constituency, and Musiliu Olaide Akinremi of Ibadan North over their re-election into the House of Representatives on the APC platform. He also rejoiced with a business mogul, Engr. Aderemi Oseni of Ido/Ibarapa East; Hon Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala of Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Orire; and Lateef Olaide Muhammed of Irepo/Olorunsogo/Orelope federal constituencies over their election into the House of Representatives under APC and PDP respectively.
Describing the election held over the weekend in the State as largely peaceful, the NUJ Chairman, Babalola, remarked that the winners have paid their dues in the politics of the state and worked very hard to emerge victorious in their respective constituencies.
Babalola said: “The elections into the senatorial seats and House of Representatives in Oyo State were largely free, fair and credible with the resultant effects of throwing up veteran politicians, who obviously have paid their dues in the political firmament of the state.
“Serving Senator Buhari has shown in deeds and actions that he is truly a committed lawmaker with very many landmark achievements and unprecedented empowerment of the people of Oyo North. He was a former House of Representatives member; Commissioner at various times and now serving his second term in the Red Chambers.
‘For Dr. Yunus Akintunde, he is a household name in the politics of the state. He has held very many appointive positions as Commissioner at various times during late Lam Adesina and late Abiola Ajimobi administrations. He is a versatile politician with strong credentials and wide connections with key political figures across the federation.
“It is an open secret that Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli is an archetypal politician with cult-like grassroots followers. He was the first elected Executive Chairman of the most populous and cosmopolitan local government in the state, Ibadan North at age of 28. He thereafter became the Secretary to the State Government and later the first Chief of Staff to any Governor in the state. He became Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited and he is one politician, who mixes freely with low and powerful people in the state and was widely respected for his humility and unassuming personality.’
The NUJ Chairman in the state also enjoined them to use their new positions to promote good governance at the national level and to attract worthy and life-changing projects to the Oyo State. Babalola, however, expressed his optimism that they would achieve greatly and affect many lives positively.
Speaking on some other eminent candidates in the just concluded election, especially Chief Joseph Tegbe, the PDP candidate for Oyo South; Shina Peller, the Accord candidate for Oyo Central; Engr Faozey Nurudeen, the Accord candidate for Oyo North; Chief Kolapo Kola-Daisi, the Accord candidate for Oyo South; as well as Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku, the Accord candidate for Ibadan South West/North West Federal Constituency; among others, Babalola admonished them to cooperate fully with the winners; put the election behind themselves and look into the future with renewed hope.
“Let me hasten to put on record that all the winners and those at the receiving end put up their best efforts while the election lasted, they must however realised that everybody has his/her appointed time otherwise called ‘time zone in spiritual realm’.
“No one can get to any position without the approval of Almighty God. Then, as it is often said, God’s time is the best. This critical point or moment is not the end, but a bend. I am sure that better days are ahead for everybody,’ Babalola stated.
