SARAFA OLAONIYE, APC CANDIDATE FOR IBARAPA CENTRAL/NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY
I have read the article published by SNEDaily on May 29, 2026, titled “Muraina remains the most formidable candidate for Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North constituency 2027 Rep. ticket.” For the sake of clarity and in the interest of factual accuracy, I wish to address the claims raised in that publication point by point.
Claim: Muraina is the only “tested, trusted and widely accepted choice”
Fact: Party members and stakeholders across Ibarapa Central and North have already spoken through the direct primary process. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye won the APC direct primary convincingly across all 20 wards of Ibarapa Central and North in line with the party’s constitution. Votes were cast, results were collated, and the people made their choice. Any narrative outside that outcome amounts to political revisionism, and revisionism does not win elections.
Claim: Consensus lists and permutations consistently point to Muraina
Fact: There was no consensus. There was a mandate. The viral “Oyo APC Consensus List” was publicly debunked by the Oyo APC hierarchy as fake, malicious, and non-existent. APC conducted a transparent primary, and Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye emerged victorious with impressive margins across Igboora, Ayete, Idere, Igangan, and Tapa. Any aspirant hiding behind a non-existent list is chasing a political ghost.
Claim: Three terms and ranking advantage make Muraina superior
Fact: The 2027 election demands practical solutions, not stories from 2007. Hon. Ajibola Muraina represented Ibarapa Central/North for three terms; twelve years. After twelve years, the constituency is still searching for landmark federal projects, institutions, or industrial investments directly linked to that era. A ranking position is only meaningful when it translates into visible results. Many ranking lawmakers underperformed, while many first-time lawmakers exceeded expectations through impactful representation. Experience matters, but performance matters more. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye has consistently demonstrated both leadership and grassroots impact, and party members chose capacity, credibility, and delivery.
Claim: Muraina has sustained empowerment and never abandoned the people
Fact: Ibarapa deserves more than seasonal empowerment and temporary relief. Handouts may create headlines, but institutions create lasting development. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye’s empowerment model is sustainable and forward-looking. It focuses on skills and digital training to equip youths for remote jobs and federal opportunities. It prioritises targeted SME support and scholarship opportunities for students, women, and small businesses. More importantly, it offers the strategic Abuja connections required to attract federal projects, appointments, and long-term investments capable of transforming Ibarapa beyond election cycles.
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Claim: Muraina has seven wards advantage from Igbo Ora and wins Idere without Sarafa
Fact: The “seven wards advantage” narrative is divisive and misleading. Ibarapa Central/North consists of 20 wards, two local governments, and one people. Representation requires unity, not territorial politics. Politically, the constituency operates across three major blocs—not personal ward calculations. Hon. Muraina comes from Bloc 2 with three wards and was rejected in Bloc 1 with four wards. That reality shaped the primary outcome. On Idere, records clearly show that Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye mobilised and delivered all three wards while serving as Director-General of the APC campaigns in both 2019 and 2023.
Claim: Muraina is the proven vote-puller with broad acceptance
Fact: The record speaks clearly. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye has contributed significantly to APC electoral victories and grassroots mobilisation since 2007 during his vice-chairmanship—nearly two decades of consistent political impact. He later served as chairman and strengthened party structures further. His political reach spans the four wards in Bloc 1, Igboora in Ibarapa Central, and extends strongly to Tapa, Ayete, and Igangan. He has repeatedly demonstrated strength across Idere wards and remains a dependable bridge-builder whose consultations and engagements cut across every major community. He is accepted by all and owned by none.
Claim: APC needs a proven winner, not experimentation
Fact: APC needs a candidate with broad appeal, practical ideas, and the ability to unite the electorate in 2027—and Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye remains that choice. He is a unifier without baggage, accessible across APC blocs and respected beyond party lines. He enjoys increasing support among youths, women, artisans, farmers, professionals, and grassroots voters. He represents a forward-looking vision built around digital opportunities, agribusiness value chains, and access to SME funding under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He carries no old political battles—only a clear vision to attract growth and development.
Claim: Muraina’s name appeared on official party permutations
Fact: The challenge remains simple—produce the source. Let anyone provide the official party communication, signed and publicly released before the primary. No APC organ issued any such directive. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye emerged through a transparent APC direct primary process and received overwhelming support from party members. The mandate was not self-declared; it was earned.
Without disrespect to any elder or aspirant, facts remain sacred. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye won the APC primary. His acceptance is organic, his political structure remains active, and his vision reflects what the people of Ibarapa truly want in 2027. Any attempt to undermine that mandate through misleading narratives risks creating avoidable division within APC and strengthening the opposition. Party supremacy remains non-negotiable.
Ibarapa Central/North deserves representation that delivers meaningful projects, secures federal opportunities, and remains accessible to the people. The 2026 APC primary has spoken clearly. Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye remains APC’s most acceptable and popularly supported choice for 2027.
Ibarapa deserves better.
Ibarapa deserves Olaoniye.
And Olaoniye is ready to deliver.
Taoreed Adeniran
APC Stakeholder
Ward 07, Unit 05
Igboora, Oyo State
