Adeleke’s younger brother; Ademola, Adejare Bello, Sunkanmi Akinlabi, 18 other aspirants jostle for late Adeleke’s senate seat
No fewer than 20 aspirants are jostling to occupy the vacant seat of Osun West senatorial district created as a result of the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke on April 23rd, 2017. This is coming even as the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, had fixed the bye election for Saturday July 8, 2017.
The INEC in a timetable signed by the Administrative Secretary, Osun State, Mr Ademusire E A, said that consequent upon the provisions of the enabling statutes that bye elections to fill the declared vacant seat by National Assembly be conducted within 30 days upon the declaration, the bye election for Osun West Senatorial seat will hold on Saturday 8th July 2017.
The timetable released further revealed that June 15 would be last day for submission of form, June 22nd for last day for publication of form, June 30 for submission of names and addresses of party agents and July 6th is the last day for campaign by political parties.
Among the strong contenders to the vacant seat are the national ex-officio of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Akintola Omolaoye, the state secretary of APC, Ayobami Salinsile, the younger brother to the late Senator Adeleke, Ademola Adeleke, Alhaji Tiamiyu Bello, Mr. Tijani Adekilekun and Alhaji Sule Alao all on the platform of APC.
Aspirants on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP, include, former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, Hon. Bamidele Sallam, Hon Ajibade Falade, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, and Colonel Olayiwola Falabi retired, among others.
The APC is however yet to lift restriction on party activities in the state. It was however gathered that the committee set up by the party to determine whether the party ticket should be zoned to the home town of late Adeleke, Ede, or thrown open to all the local government councils in the senatorial district.
The party leadership in the report submitted revealed that two local government where Adeleke hails from wanted the ticket to be zoned to Ede as a compensation for the loss of the former lawmaker while three local governments wanted the ticket go to the federal constituency of Adeleke while the other five local governments preferred it opened to all.
The local governments in the senatorial District are Isokan, Irewole, Ayedaade, Iwo, Ayedire, Ede North and Ede south, Egbedore, Ejigbo.
– Vanguard
