If the eventual outcome turns out different from what many are currently anticipating, it may be in the best interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to look beyond the controversies trailing the choice of candidate for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency bye-election—and instead consider either of the two female aspirants among the ten contenders jostling for the party’s ticket.
The heat within the party is intensifying, and if not carefully managed, it could melt away APC’s chances of even contesting, let alone winning, the bye-election.
The glaring absence of a visible primary election, as validated by INEC, is a major blow to the party’s leadership at both the constituency and state levels. The inability to properly coordinate the large number of aspirants and ensure a credible primary process reveals a lack of harmony between the state and national leadership. In politics, disagreements and crises are not unusual, but a well-structured leadership should be able to resolve them with fairness and sincerity.
From a pool of ten aspirants, it is disheartening that no leader within the party seems capable of individually engaging these aspirants in meaningful dialogue towards the party’s progress, before this present stage. But there must be a way forward. The leadership of the APC in Oyo State cannot afford to squander the opportunity to connect with the people of Ibadan North for a more effective representation and contest with the main opposition of PDP.
At a Crossroads, Yes, the party is indeed at a crossroads—struggling to navigate the rocky path towards reclaiming Oyo State from the PDP in 2027. But there must be a viable way forward.
One clear takeaway from the ongoing internal struggle is that its largely a battle of egos, birthrights, male dominance, superiority—battles that may ultimately yield no positive outcome for the party.
So why not the party leadership shift the spotlight away from the men and place it on the women? Let’s see what a different kind of leadership—nurturing, focused, and less driven by rivalry—might bring to the table. Women may nurse jealousy, yes, but rarely do they fight for superiority.
What can the consensus candidacy of either Dr. Olaitan Victor, even she was alleged to have stepped down or Dr. Olamide Balikis Junaid, leaving her as the only female aspirant amongst eight (8) men, offer in the August 16, 2025 bye-election? That question deserves urgent and honest consideration.
Observably, relevant stakeholders within APC—including Minister of Power Bayo Adelabu (OFR), 2023 gubernatorial candidate Sen. Teslim Folarin, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Sen. Sarafadeen Alli, Alhaji Olayide Abass, Dr. (Mrs ) Florence Ajimobi, Ambassador Wale Owu and his APC Peace Advocates or so, as well as Ibadan North APC leaders, to convene and deliberate on this alternative path before Saturday’s final deadline of name submission.
It may sound unconventional, perhaps even funny, but a bold shift now may be the party’s best bet—better to field a candidate and contest, than to lose the election by default.
Akintunde Yusuf writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.
