The three Senatorial and fourteen House of Representatives candidates of the Oyo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 National Assembly elections have emerged after the primaries held on May 22 and 23, 2022, respectively.
Although the primary for the House of Representatives’ flag bearers was slated for Sunday, May 22, some constituencies had to wait till Monday before the candidates could be elected due to the power play that featured.
For the senatorial candidates, after a thrilling exercise, Mogaji Joseph Tegbe, a new entrant into the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the Oyo South ticket at a primary held at the Tafo Events Centre, Ijokodo, Ibadan.
Although Tegbe contested the election unopposed after they convinced other aspirants to step down for him before the primary, he still polled 296 votes to affirm the earlier decision.
Other Senatorial candidates include, Chief Bisi Ilaka (Oyo Central), who won 322 votes at the primary held in Ibadan; Akinwale Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, who won the Oyo North ticket with 414 votes out of 415 delegates at the primary held in Iseyin.
All three senatorial candidates are favourites of Governor Seyi Makinde. However, the story is slightly different with the House of Representatives primaries, as some favoured candidates of the governor lost the election.
The primaries were keenly contested in most Federal Constituencies despite the initial decision of the governor and party leaders to adopt candidates who would only be affirmed at the primaries.
In the Ibadan North Federal Constituency, 13 aspirants got the expression of interest and nomination forms, but Mr. Lanre Sarumi defeated Hon. Dada Awoleye, a two-term House of Representatives member, and others in clinching the ticket.
In the Lagelu Akinyele Federal Constituency, Abideen Adeaga defeated Mr Kunle Yusuf, a former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
However, some aspirants vowed to challenge the result of the elections in court, citing irregularities and the use of force.
The candidates that emerged at the end of the House of Representatives primaries held across the state include; Lanre Salami (Ibadan North Federal Constituency); Abdulmojeed Mogbanjubola (Oluyole); Abideen Adeaga (Akinyele/Lagelu); Hussain Yusuf Ijaban (Irepo, Oorelope, Olorunsogo) and Dr Lukma Adisa Salami (Saki East, Saki West, Atisbo).
Others are; Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin (Ibadan South East, North East); Oyejide Oyesina (Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, Iwajowa); Hon Stanley Olajide, popularly known as OdidiOmo (Ibadan North West, Southwest); and Olufemi Onireti (Ogbomoso North, South, Oriire).
More candidates also include: Hon Yemi Taiwo (Ido, Ibarapa East); Hon Busari Olayemi (Egbeda, Ona Ara); Dr Adepoju Anthony (Ibarapa North, Ibarapa Central); Ojo Sunday Makanjuola (Ogo Oluwa, Surulere) and Mudashiru Kamil Akinlabi (Oyo East, Oyo West, Atiba).
E/Suzan O.
