The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has begun strategic preparations for the upcoming by-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency, following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacant seat in the House of Representatives.
During a high-level meeting held at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, the APC leadership called for unity, commitment, and cooperation among all stakeholders. The meeting was convened by the State Working Committee and key leaders from Ibadan North Local Government Area and chaired by the State Chairman, Alhaji Olayide Abas.
In a statement released by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC confirmed receipt of INEC’s guidelines for conducting a primary election to select a candidate to replace the late Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi, the former representative who passed away last year.
Addressing party members, Abas stressed the importance of working together to reclaim the seat, which the APC had won convincingly in the 2023 general election.
“It is unfortunate we lost one of our best-performing elected officials in Musiliu Olaide Akinremi,” he said. “But we take comfort in the legacy he left behind. We urge the constituents of Ibadan North to continue to trust in us, as we are determined to provide them with another capable and effective representative.”
Abas also announced that, in line with APC and INEC directives, the party would begin revalidation and upgrading of its membership register across the 12 wards in Ibadan North from July 2 to July 5, 2025. He emphasized that both new and existing members would need to present only their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the process.
While discussions on the mode of primary election are ongoing, Abas clarified that no decision had been made yet between the options of consensus, direct, or indirect primaries. He called on aspirants and their supporters to remain peaceful and assured them of a transparent and fair process.
Responding on behalf of party leaders, Alhaji Bello Oladeji, a prominent figure in the APC Apex Committee in Ibadan North, pledged full support for the party’s leadership and reaffirmed their collective commitment to ensuring victory in the by-election.
He described the election as a critical test for the APC’s strength and unity ahead of the next general elections, pledging that all party members would rally behind whoever emerges as the candidate.
