PHOTOS: Senator Alli Hosts 2024 APC Chairmanship, Councillorship Candidates, Urges Unity Ahead of Ibadan North Byelection

Afeez Bello,
Ibadan, Oyo State.

Oyo South Senator and the Ekaarun Balogun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli hosted the Ibadan North candidates under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the 2024 Local Government Election in Oyo State.

The proposed meeting, which was supposed to be held last April but due to unforeseen circumstances that have been hindering the schedule of the meeting, was later held in a kind hospitality fanfare on Wednesday, July 30, at the residence of the senator in the Bodija area, Ibadan.

While addressing the meeting, the Chairmanship Candidate of the party, Hon. Dayo Adeniyi, noted that the purpose of the meeting was to show appreciation for Alli’s support during their mandate-stealing election that was held in 2024 under the leadership of the ruling party in the state, felicitate the senator on his birthday that came up in April, and have a mutual discussion between the forum and the senator over the communication gap and some ideas that will bring development to the 12 wards across the Ibadan North Local Government Area.

The Councillorship Candidates unanimously highlighted various challenges that their respective wards, which they were representing, are encountering regarding the dividend of democracy from the Senator. They also called the attention of the senator to the level and status of various projects across the local government that the senator had embarked on even long before he became the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is, 33 years ago while he was the executive chairman of the Ibadan North Local Government Area.

In his remarks, the spokesperson of the forum, Hon. Afeez Bello Mabinuori, appreciated the senator for the biweekly support for the party members in the local government and his swift response to various projects that developed faults, for which the senator has been mobilising the engineers to the project sites.

Mabinuori relayed his pro-people ideas to the senator, which are premised on human capital development. He encouraged the senator to be considering the forum in his mega empowerment either now or in the near future. He called the attention of the senator to various developments in the party regarding the upcoming bye-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency, where some party members were aggrieved. He urged the High Chief Senator to intervene on time so that the party will not go to the poll with a divided house since injury to one is injury to all.

While reacting to the issue that was brought on board, the Ekaarun Balogun Olubadan of Ibadanland appreciated the forum for their courtesy visit and relayed the rationale behind the communication gap, which was caused by circumstances beyond his control—basically, official duties.

Alli expressed what he has experienced and the challenges of being a senator. He noted all the concerns and issues raised by the councillorship candidates and gave them his word of assurance to address them humbly. He also promised to assist his constituents, whom the honorables relayed to him that they are encountering challenges.

The Senator acknowledged the fact that Hon. Adewale Olatunji Murphy is the party candidate, whose emergence is destined by God, and highlighted that he has been reaching out to different stakeholders in the party in order to address the post-emergence of the candidacy issue and to unite all members of the party to work as a formidable team ahead of the election and ensure that the party achieves success and its candidate, Murphy, emerges victorious in the poll.

The Honourables presented birthday gifts to the Ekaarun Balogun Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the senator extended his appreciation to them.

In attendance were Hon. Bukola Adeoye (Ward 1), Hon. Folashade Adeshina (Ward 4), Hon. Suara Omolayo (Ward 5), Hon. Tosin Matthew (Ward 7), and Hon. Iyabo Olorunsogo (Ward 8).