Scores of leaders, elders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in both Ikereku and Imala Districts of the Oke-Ogun Region of Abeokuta North State Constituency have demanded a change of baton, asking for fresh blood to represent them at the Ogun State House of Assembly come 2027.
The leaders, elders and members of APC drawn from Electoral Wards 13, 14, 15 and 16 of Abeokuta North, converged on Friday at Egba Oke-Ogun Council of Baales and Chiefs Hall at Idiya-Rounda, Abeokuta to deliberate and receive Hon. Yisa Ismaila Adebayo as APC Aspirant from Ward 16, who is contesting to replace Hon Babatunde Tella from Abeokuta North State Constituency.
Speaking on the need for APC to have a quality representation from Abeokuta North State Constituency at Ogun State Assembly, Chief Sunday Oyatope, a former Councillor and APC Leader, said the time had come for the State Constituency a responsible and responsive representative that will not only deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, but will also have listening ears.
Chief Oyatope said despite the efforts of the party men and women in ensuring that Hon. Babatunde Tella emerge as Abeokuta North State Constituency Representative at the State House of Assembly, nothing was forthcoming from him to a large number of party men, women and the residents of the Area.
Also, Mr Sunday Afolabi, former Secretary to the Local Government, Abeokuta North Local Government, noted that the people had had enough failed promises from Hon Babatunde Tella, saying tbrough the new Aspirant, Hon Yisa Ismaila Adebayo, “We are going to do what they (Hon Tella and Co) failed to do. They want to impose on us and we don’t want imposition this time around. Let’s play the politics the way it should be.”
While Mrs Oluwatoyin Fadipe from Ward 15, said she had initially written off working with any politicians in the 2027 General Elections based on her ugly experiences from the like of Hon. Babatunde Tella, but with Hon Yisa Ismaila Adebayo, she would gladly work again for APC in the next polls, considering the personality and character of Hon Yisa Ismaila Adebayo.
She said, “I want to thank those that invited me here today, because I have done lots for the Constituency but nothing was forthcoming from those we have been electing. When Hon. Tella was coming on board, he told us to work for him without giving us anything. At the end of the day, there wasn’t anything from him to us, up till now.
“All I know is that the political office is not for one person only. But, we can only beg you (new APC Aspirant, Hon Yisa Ismaila Adebayo) not to use and dump us like Hon Tella did for us. The politics we are doing now in Oke-Ogun is that of selfishness and that is not good politics. Everybody should be carried along in your programmes when you are elected Lawmaker, representing our Constituency.”
Echoing the political sentiment of Mrs Fadipe, another APC member from Ward 13, Mrs Funke Obasanmi, noted that the 2027 General elections would offer them the opportunity to seperate the wheat from the chaff by electing the right person for the job, alleging some politicians are moving around at the eleventh hour but the party leaders, elders and members had zero the minds against such a move.
“There have been bringing around money at the eleventh hour to give us, but we won’t collect their money. We are all mobilising and voting for you (Hon Yisa Ismaila Adebayo) come 2027.”
For Chief Salimon Majekodunmi, Chairman, Idiya-Rounda Community Development Association (CDA) and Ekerin, Egba Oke-Ogun Council of Baales and Chiefs, the APC should look inward and allow real primary elections to be conducted in order to know who is the real candidate that will follow the manifesto of the APC and help President Bola Tinubu to win his re-election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
But, Chief Semiu Akintade Akogun Olorunda, asked the Ikereku District of Oke-Ogun not to repeat the mistake they made in 2023 by electing Hon Babatunde Tella, saying: “It has been the Ikereku District that has been producing Assembly members since and you (Ikereku District) mustn’t get it wrongly this time because if you do, Imala District won’t allow you some other time.”
Meanwhile, both Hon Wale Ojelabi from Ward 14 and Elder Micheal Awofe Oladipupo from Ward 16, confirmed that with the set of leaders, elders and members selected across the nooks and crannies of the 16 Wards that make up Abeokuta North State Constituency working for Hon. Yisa Ismaila Adebayo, the elections – both Primary and General elections, are as good as won.
“You will be guided and guarded by God to become the Lawmaker, representing our Constituency in Abeokuta North. We have selected the best across all the 16 Wards.
We know that you be brought to Oke-Mosan State Assembly by God’s Grace. But, don’t deceive us like Hon Tella. We know you are capable but don’t forget your manifesto and pledges to all of us when you are eventually elected as Lawmaker, representing Abeokuta North State Constituency.”
