The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of shielding the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in this week’s bye-election for Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Folajimi Oyekunle, from participating in public debates.
The APC candidate, Adewale Olatunji, is contesting alongside Oyekunle and others to replace the late Musiliudeen Olaide Akinremi, who died last year while serving his second term in the House of Representatives.
In a statement signed by Monsuru Adeyemo, spokesperson for the APC Media Team, the party alleged that Makinde was attempting to “market a bad egg” to the “enlightened people” of the constituency.
“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 are of the opinion that the governor should have left his party’s candidate in the executive arm and not the legislature,” the statement read in part.
The APC alleged that Oyekunle’s emergence was due to the governor’s desire to impose candidates he could control, rather than allowing an open primary process.
It claimed Oyekunle’s four-year stint in the Oyo State House of Assembly between 2019 and 2023 was marked by “lacklustre performance” and poor contributions to debates on the floor of the House.
The party also accused Oyekunle of failing to perform effectively as Deputy Chief of Staff, saying he was unable to work harmoniously with the Chief of Staff, 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,” the APC said.
The party further faulted Makinde’s recent late-night visit to the University of Ibadan community to solicit votes, claiming the governor had failed to fulfil previous promises to the institution.
It urged residents to back its candidate, Adewale Olatunji, in Saturday’s poll, assuring that he would not disappoint them.
