•How It Would Affect Gov. MAKINDE’s Chances
Though the National Assembly elections in Oyo State had come and gone but intrigues preceding the elections and surprises that followed have remained a major topic of discussion within the political circle in the state.
The 25th February, 2023 election, held alongside that of Presidential, was indeed a keenly contested one. In fact, many are still in shock with the outcomes of the election.
The main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) swept the three senatorial districts (Oyo South, Oyo Central and Oyo North) and eight out of the fourteen House of Representatives seats. While the incumbent party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) struggled to win four Reps seat, and the other two (Oluyole and Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East) were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Of course, the rift between G5 Governors, which Governor Makinde is a member, and the national leadership of PDP has largely agreed to be responsible for the woeful performance of PDP at the polls in Oyo State.
The G5 Governors, comprising Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, have insisted on resignation of PDP Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
This explains why Makinde refused to endorse his party’s Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Rather, he asked Oyo people to vote for all PDP candidates in the National Assembly elections but vote national unity, equity and justice above political interest for the Presidential poll.
This his position, however, didn’t only caused a kind of confusion within Oyo PDP but also greatly worked in favour of APC. As the state almost delivered 100% to APC in both Presidential and National Assembly elections. The damages were just too much for PDP. So huge that the party even lost areas believed to be their strongholds. Where the power of incumbency was believed to have worked in their favour.
Like the Oyo South Senatorial district, where APC candidate, Barr. Sarafadeen Abiodun-Alli defeated Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe of PDP and others. Even with the fact that Sarafadeen Abiodun-Alli is a grassroots politician, nobody thought he would have floored Tegbe the way he did. Judging by the amount of money Tegbe committed into the electioneering process and his close relationship with Makinde. But interestingly, Alli, the former Secretary to the state government, polled 111,513 votes against Tegbe’s 92,481 votes. While Kolapo Kola-Daisi of the Accord, who came third in the poll, recorded 33,641 votes.
In Oyo Central Senatorial district, Dr Yunus Akintunde, candidate of APC, won the poll. Akintunde defeated PDP’s candidate, Chief Bisi Ilaka, Engineer Dotun Nurudeen Faozey (Accord) and other candidates. Akintunde polled 108,776 votes; Chief Bisi llaka of PDP has 101,213 votes, while Engineer Nurudeen Faozey of Accord scored 41,743 votes. Whereas Ilaka, a chief of Oyo Alaafin and the former Chief of Staff to Makinde, was picked as the likely winner in that zone.
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari of Oyo North Senatorial district was able to retain his seat in the Senate. His victory was not surprising though. He is the incumbent and a two term APC senator. He is very strong politically and well loved in the zone. He scored 90,078 votes to defeat his close rival in the poll, Hon. Akinwale Akinwole (Wolekanle) of PDP who polled 77,034. Shina Peller of Accord came third with 54,732 votes.
Meanwhile, Hon Adeyemi Akeem aka Skimeh successful stages a come back into the House of Reps. He is the APC incumbent honourable at Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/ Oyo West. The son of late Alaafin Adeyemi, Akeem Adeyemi recorded 34,822 votes to defeat his close rival from PDP who has 31,621 votes. Accord has 13,544 votes.
In Ogbomoso/ North/South/Orire Federal Constituency, son of the late former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Olamiju Alao-Akala won the seat.
Olamiju, APC candidate scored 33,268 votes while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Olufemi Onireti has 27,126 votes. His victory was predicted long before the poll. It was a kind of pay back for Olamiju from the people of that zone. His late father was a grassroots politician and philanthropist.
Alhaji Najimdeen Oyesina Oyedeji aka ‘O’Shine’, a close ally of Governor Makinde and PDP candidate won Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal constituency seat. Oyedeji polled 30,372 votes to defeat other eight contestants.
Dr Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defeated a serving honourable, Muraina Ajibola in Ibarapa North, Ibarapa Central Federal Constituency election. Adebayo Adepoju, popularity known as ‘Ibarapa Kan’, polled 12,884 votes to defeat other candidates.
The story is the same at Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, where Engr. Aderemi Oseni also defeated a sitting honourable. Oseni, the Ibadan-born business magnate and clergy, scored the highest votes of 26,285 to defeat his closest rival, the incumbent, Hon Oluyemi Taiwo, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 10,988 votes. Other popular APC honourables who retained their seats include Hon. Musiliu Akinremi aka Jagaban of Ibadan North Federal Constituency; Hon Akin Alabi (Egbada/Ona Ara) and Hon Wasiu Olafisoye Akinmoyede of Akinyele/ Lagelu Constituency.
In Ibadan Northwest/Ibadan Southwest, Hon. Saheed Fijabi’s hope of coming back to the House of Reps was dashed. As Hon. Adedeji Stanley Olajide popular known as Odidiomo defeated him in the keenly contested election to retain his seat. PDP candidate, Olajide garnered 23,847 votes to defeat Hon Fijabi of the APC, who received 22,815 votes.
Hon Kareem Abisodun Tajudeen ‘Were’ of APC won Saki East/Saki West/Atisbo seat; Ojo Sunday Makanjuola (PDP) Ogooluwa/Surulere, while Lateef Olaide Muhammed of APC defeated other candidates in Irepo/Olorunsogo/ Oorelope.
–Dare Adeniran
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