JOSEPH OKWUOFU, Ibadan
Folajinmi Oyekunle, popularly called the Don of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), has been declared the winner of the Ibadan North Federal Constituency bye-election.
The election conducted last Saturday witnessed heavy security but was marred by low turnout of voters.
Oyekunle was declared the winner by the Returning Officer, Prof Abiodun Oluwadare of the Department of Renewable and Natural Resources, University of Ibadan, after polling a total of 18,404 votes.
His closest rival, Olawale Olatunji, also known as Murphy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) scored 8,312 votes.
The Returning Officer (R.O.) was accompanied at the announcement by the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Adeniran Rahmon Tella.
The Collation Officer (CO) for the by-election was Dr Olusegun Peter Oke, of the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan.
They made the declaration at about 12:30 AM in the presence of party agents, security operatives, among other stakeholders.
The by-election took place in 12 Wards and 521 polling units.
Oyekunle won the majority of the Wards.
The Chairman, Ibadan North Local Government, Hon Oluwaseun Olufade who was the PDP agent, received the copy of the result on behalf of the party.
Other contestants, including Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu of the ADC scored 256 votes while candidates of the APGA, SDP and ZLP scored 40, 88 and 18 votes respectively.
Low voter turnout and heavy security presence trailed the conduct of the by-election.
It was necessitated by the sudden death of Prince Olaide Aderemi, popularly known as Jagaban who died on July 10, 2024, and made the seat vacant.
The late APC lawmaker was 51 years old at the time of his death, which occurred after a brief illness.
Although seven political parties conducted primaries monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyo state, only five candidates were cleared to contest the seat which was made vacant by the sudden demise of Prince Olaide Aderemi (popularly called Jagaban) on July 10, 2024.
The contestants for the By-election were Akin-Alamu Dexter Femi of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Olatunji Haastrup Adewale of the All Progressive Congress (APC), popularly called Murphy, Odususi Olajumoke Olabisi of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Oyekunle Folajimi of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also known as the Don and Hammed Badmus of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
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