Billionaire businessman and Pastor, Remi Oseni, has sacrificed his senatorial ambition in the interest of his party— All Progressives Congress, APC.
Multiple sources told OYOINSIGHT.COM that it took the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, many days before Oseni, who wanted to represent Oyo south senatorial district, could be persuaded to run for reps seat in the interest of the party.
The APC national leadership, one of the sources told this newspaper, came into the picture following the defection Kola Balogun, who currently represents the district.
Before Balogun’s arrival, Oseni, it was learnt, had been persuaded with the senatorial ticket.
“It was actually a tough one before we could get Pastor to run for Ibarapa East/Iddo federal constituency. Remember he wanted to run for a senatorial seat. He was called in Abuja and they told him what has happened. He agreed, saying his ambition will not add more to the problem of APC in Oyo and consequently stepped down. But they said it wasn’t that, that they want him on the ballot. That was how the idea of reps came in. He rejected it at first because he was actually the person who encouraged the person who wanted to run for that seat before since he was convinced of getting the senatorial slot”
Four days ago, a former oyo assembly member and ex-council chairman, Hon. Wahab Oladejo, also stepped down his ambition for Engr. Oseni.
”In fact, Engr. Oseni said he would sponsor whoever gets the rep ticket but they insisted he contests. The nomination form for the house of representative was subsequently purchased for him to honour him. They also promised to refund the money used in purchasing the senatorial form. They even told him that there is just a slight difference between senate and reps. They told him it is all about service which they believe will not affect his primary political ambition for the state”, the source added.
Corroborating the first source, another person who did not want name in print, said that “It was after the Ibadan establishments reached out to Governor Seyi Makinde on the need to return Sen. Balogun failed that they approached Abuja to help the senator who is from a royal family. So he, together with some top Ibadan indigenes and compound heads, deployed their network and the rest is history.”
OYOINSIGHT.COM sought clarification from Oseni, CEO of Step By Step Engineering Services, he confirmed the change in ambition, promising to get back to us.
