The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Pharm. Olayide Abas, has dismissed a media report suggesting the emergence of another consensus candidate for the forthcoming Ibadan North Federal Constituency bye-election, describing it as “a misrepresentation of fact.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Abas reaffirmed that Mr. Adewale Olatunji (a.k.a. Murphy) remains the duly nominated candidate of the APC for the August 16 bye-election. He clarified that a recent meeting held at the State Party Secretariat was convened by aggrieved aspirants and was aimed solely at fostering reconciliation and cooperation—not to select or substitute a candidate.
“All we did at the meeting was to appeal for understanding and cooperation of the aggrieved aspirants,” the statement reads. “The Party Leaders who attended the meeting on invitation of the Aspirants lacked the power to substitute the Party Candidate’s name, and none of them, including myself, made any allusion to such a claim.”
Abas noted that the APC National Secretariat has already submitted Olatunji’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s official candidate. He emphasized that the focus now is to unify the party and rally support across board to ensure victory in the upcoming election.
He also used the opportunity to appeal to all aspirants and their supporters to exercise patience and embrace ongoing reconciliation efforts, stressing that leadership is committed to addressing their concerns.
“August 16 is here and we must deliver together,” Abas said. “The bye-election means so much to us. May God grant us a resounding victory at this poll and others to come.”
The Ibadan North Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi, and the bye-election has attracted significant political attention within the APC fold in Oyo State
