One of the most interesting states to watch in the 2019 election is Oyo. From its gubernatorial candidates to those of senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly, it is too close to call. The parties, notable among which are the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Action Democratic Party (ADP), parade candidates to beat in the elections.
More intriguing is the senatorial election in the state, with most of the candidates either had contested the seats in previous elections or had, at one time or the other, won election to represent the senatorial district at the red chamber. For many of the senatorial candidates, it is an election in a familiar terrain, said Nigerian Tribune in a recent report.
OYO INSIGHT recall that incumbent Dr AbdulFatai Buhari is of the APC, Barr. Mulikat Akande-Adeola is of the PDP while Barr Bayo Lawal and Chief Ahmed Salawudeen are of the ADC and ADP respectively. There are other contestants from other political parties.
Akande-Adeola, who hails from Ogbomoso, is a former majority leader of the House of Representatives. She represented Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Orire federal constituency from 2007 to 2015. She lost the election for a third term in 2015. She is familiar with the terrain and will prove her political dexterity during the election.
Bayo Lawal, an Oke-Ogun indigene and prominent member of Oke-Ogun Progressive Movement (OPM), is a former commissioner for justice and attorney general of Oyo State during the administration of the late Alhaji Lam Adesina. He is banking on the facilitation of establishment of state high court in Iseyin, Kishi and Ogbomoso during the period he held sway as the attorney-general to garner votes. He will be banking on support from Oke Ogun communities to realise his ambition.
The incumbent, Buhari, will be banking on his goodwill and representation in his first term. Of all the three senatorial candidates of the APC, it was only Buhari who emerged unopposed, a similar feat he enjoyed after the 2015 election and he was the only candidate without a petition against his victory at the tribunal. Buhari established information and communication centres in all the 13 local government areas comprising the senatorial district; built ICT centres hosting the conduct of JAMB examinations in four constituency centres of the senatorial district and held, for two times, an unprecedented empowerment programmes for the people of the district.
These, aside the fact that he was loved by the people, would be his selling points to consolidate his hold on the senatorial district. Buhari, a former special adviser and later commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters in Oyo State, represented Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Orire federal constituency between 2003 and 2007.
Oyo North is made up of Saki West, Saki East, ATISBO, Irepo, Olorunsogo, Kajola, Iwajowa, Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Iseyin, Oorelope, Orire and Itesiwaju, local government areas of the state, 13 in all.
While the duo of Buhari and Akande-Adeola hail from Ogbomoso North local government area, Salawudeen and Lawal hail from Iseyin and Irepo local government areas of Okeogun respectively.
