- Chief Whip, Deputy, 7 Other Lawmakers Dropped
Ismaeel Uthman
AMIDST fear of protests from members of the party, the All Progressives Congress in the State of Osun, has secretly issued nomination form to its chosen candidates for the State House of Assembly election coming up next year.
According to sources, the form was given to each of the candidates on Sunday evening with a warning that they should not disclose it to members of the party.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that nine current lawmakers were denied return ticket by the party.
The Chief Whip of the House of Assembly, Hon. Lekan Olatunji (Ife North), his deputy, Hon. Gbenga Ogunkanmi (Ayedire), Hon Adenike Abioye (Ifedayo), Hon. Adebayo Usamot (Iwo), Hon. Michael Adetoyi (Odo-Otin), Hon. Adekunle Oyekunle (Ejigbo), Hon. Maruf Olanrewaju (Irewole/Isokan), Hon Benjamin Ogundipe (Ife South), and Hon Taiwo Adebusola (Ife Central).
According to some party leaders who are close to Governor Oyetola, Ogunkanmi, Abioye and Oyekunle were denied return ticket because of their perceived loyalty to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Olatunji who is serving his second term in the assembly and five lawmakers failed to get their return tickets because of the zoning arrangement in their various constituencies.
Findings by the medium revealed that some of the candidates have been submitting their forms and credentials to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, who is coordinating the prospective lawmakers.
OSUN DEFENDER noted that in spite of several protests and appeals, the APC leadership refused to make official announcement of supposed winners of the controversial House of Assembly primaries held on May 26, 2022.
