House Of Assembly Election: Osun APC Secretly Gives INEC Form To Candidates

Amid fear of protests from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, the party has secretly issued nomination forms to its chosen candidates for the State House of Assembly election coming up in 2023.

According to sources, the form was given to each of the candidates with a warning that they should not disclose it to members of the party. 

It was gathered that nine current lawmakers were denied return tickets by the party. 

They are the Chief Whip of the House of Assembly, Lekan Olatunji (Ife North), his deputy, Gbenga Ogunkanmi (Ayedire), Adenike Abioye (Ifedayo), Adebayo Usamot (Iwo), Michael Adetoyi (Odo-Otin), Adekunle Oyekunle (Ejigbo), Maruf Olanrewaju (Irewole/Isokan), Benjamin Ogundipe (Ife South), and Taiwo Adebusola (Ife Central). 

According to some party leaders who are close to Governor Oyetola, Ogunkanmi, Abioye and Oyekunle were denied return tickets because of their perceived loyalty to the former governor and current Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. 

Olatunji who is serving his second term in the assembly and five lawmakers were denied return tickets because of the zoning arrangement in their various constituencies. 

Findings revealed that some of the candidates have been submitting their forms and credentials to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, who is coordinating the prospective lawmakers. 

In spite of several protests and appeals, the APC leadership refused to make an official announcement of the supposed winners of the controversial House of Assembly primaries held on May 26, 2022.