105 APC Members Jostle For 26 Assembly Slots

• How Victory In Guber Poll Aroused Interests

By Sikiru Obarayese

Ahead of 2019 General Elections into the State of Osun House of Assembly, 105 politicians of the All Progressives Congress (APC) extraction are locked in a battle to claim the 26 tickets for their various constituencies to succeed the present members of the assembly.

Among the contestants are serving members of the state Assembly, who are seeking second terms and some third term parliamentarians in the house, as well as new faces who are trying their luck for the slots.

Apart from the 105 intending lawmakers from the APC, there are several other aspirants from other political parties, especially the PDP and the ADP, which  recently confirmed that it would feed candidates for all elective posts for the 2019 general elections.

One of the aspirants who spoke with this medium in anonymity disclosed that the introduction of direct primary during Osun governorship primary triggered the high number of turnout, saying that the candidate who was produced by the process is acceptable by majority members of the party.

The source said,  people believe that the popular candidate will emerge in the direct process which the party will use in choosing candidate from each local government across the state.

Among those in the race, OSUN DEFENDER noticed that the number of women has increased; unlike in four years ago when men dominated the scene and the house is men-only assembly.

A female aspirant who spoke with the medium said, women aspiration was inspired by the first lady, Aishat Buhari who enjoined and encouraged women to partake in governance.

Moreover, this medium, while sampling opinions of aspirants obtained the fact that the mass turnout of aspirant was due to the victory of the APC in the just concluded governorship poll.

Besides, some members of the party said the victory of the party in the recently concluded governorship election aroused interests among the teeming aspirants for the parliament, and other political positions because the work of the aspirant will be lessen

A party member, Wasiu Adewale said, “things will be easier when your party is at the center and at the state level; that shows that you’re the People’s choice.”

However, as at the time of filing this report, the medium cannot ascertain the number of aspirants the main opposition party in the state can boast of, but it is certain that the PDP would field candidates for all the election in the state.

Also, the medium gathered that the APC is in the process of screening all the aspirants with a view to pruning the number down.

Meanwhile, the medium gathered that the party is having trouble dealing with the large number of aspirants, especially as it strive to avoid issues that could divide the party.