The Media Team of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in this week’s bye-election in Ibadan North federal constituency, has lashed out at Governor Seyi Makinde for shielding the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Folajimi Oyekunle, from debate.
Adewale Olatunji of the APC is up against Oyekunle and others to replace late Musiliudeen Olaide Akinremi who died last year while in his second consecutive term in the green chambers.
In a statement by Monsuru Adeyemo, the Team said it was alarmed that the governor can try to market what it described as a bad egg to the enlightened people of Ibadan North federal constituency.
According to the statement, “We are disturbed to see how Governor Seyi Makinde is trying to package the candidate of the PDP in the August 16, 2025 election to the people. While we believe in individual differences, we think that the governor should have left their party’s candidate in the executive arm and not the legislative branch. This is because Folajimi Oyekunle isn’t the best the PDP could field but the penchant by the governor to lord over those he believes he can control on the people at all times.
“The people can now see why Gov. Makinde forced Oyekunle on others instead of going to the primaries. He knows his obvious lapses but because of those aspiring, he is the one who can dance to his tune. We recall the four years that Oyekunle used in the hallowed chambers of the Oyo State House of Assembly between 2019 and 2023; it was marked by a lacklustre performance. If he were not slumbering, he would be sitting idly, without contributing on the floor of the House. That was exactly why Governor Makinde seized the returned ticket he had initially secured from him and replaced him with a woman. Even as Deputy Chief of Staff, he was unable to commit himself to duty as he always clashed with his boss and CoS, Segun Ogunwuyi.
“This is the person Governor Makinde is packaging, forgetting that to get anything meaningful for constituents, vocal people must be made to represent the people. Ibadan North federal constituency is peopled mainly by enlightened individuals apart from the fact that it houses notable higher institutions of learning. Only a few days ago, Gov Makinde who had not sat with the UI community for years dared to visit in the wee hours to solicit votes for the candidate of his party. He had nothing to say about the fulfilment of his electoral promises for the university other than promising again.
“We urged the people to rally behind the candidate of the APC, Adewale Olatunji in Saturday’s election. He would not disappoint them,” the statement added.
