Rep Seat: Oke-Ero APC Elders, Youths Insist On Ekiti Indigene
* Warn Against Backlash For Party If Their Appeal Is Ignored
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
As political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gradually gather momentum, notable Elders and Youths within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Oke-ero Local Government ArCall gea of Kwara State have demanded an ‘Ekiti for Ekiti’ to fly the flag of the party for the House of Representatives seat, and not an outsider claiming to be from the area
The group, for the umpteenth time, expressed vehement opposition to the purported emergence of Mrs Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi as the party’s candidate for the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State.
Chief Bayo Alabi, the leader of the elders caucus, and Mr Dayo Ashaolu, the Youth Coordinator, stated this in a joint statement on Saturday.
They maintained that the House of Representatives seat should remain the preserve of an indigene of Oke-Ero Local Government Area and not someone from Ijebu in Ogun State.
They argued that the Local Government Council has waited for more than two decades for the opportunity to produce the federal lawmaker representing the constituency.
They said handing the ticket to someone they do not regard as an indigene of Oke-Ero would amount to injustice and would deny the local government its long-awaited opportunity to occupy the seat.
They also alleged that Oyeyemi is not an indigene of Oke-Ero, arguing that her previous appointment and service as a Commissioner under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq do not, in their view, confer indigene status on her.
“Now that the situation appears to be favouring the Ekiti bloc, particularly Oke Ero Local Government, in our federal constituency following the withdrawal of Hon Tunji Olawuyi from the race, it would be a great source of joy if a bonafide son of Ekiti emerges as the candidate of APC.
“Regarding Florence Olasumbo purported nomination, although she is married to a man from Idofin, in Oke-ero, she is not an indigene of our constituency.
“A similar situation occurred with the current Commissioner representing Ekiti Local Government, who was married to a son of the soil but later divorced, having enjoyed the privilege of her marriage to become Commissioner . We don’t want such a scenario to repeat itself in our constituency.”
“Consequently, many people feel that Ekiti block has not truly enjoyed the expected representation.
“This is why we believe it is important to support a candidate who is an indigene of the soil and can genuinely represent our people,” they affirmed
They appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the leadership of the APC in Kwara State to reconsider the choice of candidate and instead support what they described as a genuine indigene of Oke-Ero to represent the constituency.
According to them, such a decision would foster unity within the party, strengthen the confidence of party members and reassure the people that their aspirations and sense of belonging are being respected.
They further claimed that if reports suggesting that Oyeyemi had already completed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination process as the APC candidate were true, the development could generate dissatisfaction among party members in Oke-Ero.
They argued that such a move could negatively affect the morale of APC members in the local government and weaken the party’s support base ahead of the general election.
“We reject the candidacy of Olasumbo. Our position is that the House of Representatives ticket meant for Oke-Ero should not be given to someone we do not regard as an indigene of the local government,” the stakeholders said.
They urged the APC leadership to review the situation and ensure that Oke-Ero is allowed to produce what they described as its own candidate, rather than one perceived to have originated from outside the local government.
They expressed hope that the party leadership would carefully consider their concerns in the interest of equity, justice and the continued unity of the APC in the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 elections.
