Following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of a date for the by-election to fill the vacant Ibadan North Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has commenced preparations with a call for unity, commitment, and cooperation among all stakeholders.

This call was the major resolution reached during a meeting convened by the State Working Committee of the party and attended by prominent leaders and stalwarts from the Ibadan North Local Government Area. The meeting, held on Tuesday at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, was presided over by the State Chairman, Alhaji Olayide Abas.

In a statement issued after the meeting and made available to journalists in Ibadan by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC acknowledged receipt of the guidelines for the conduct of the primary election to determine its candidate for the by-election. The seat became vacant following the death of Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi, a member of the party who passed away last year.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Abas emphasized the need for unity and collaboration among party members to help the APC retain the seat, which it won convincingly in the 2023 general election.

“It is unfortunate that we lost one of our best-performing elected officials in Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi, but we take solace in the fact that he left behind an enduring legacy,” Abas said. “We urge the constituents of Ibadan North to keep faith with us, as we are committed to presenting another capable and performance-driven candidate.”

He announced that in compliance with INEC directives and the guidelines released by the APC National Secretariat, the party would begin revalidation and upgrading of its membership register across the 12 wards of Ibadan North LGA between July 2 and July 5, 2025.

“All new and existing members are required to bring only their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for revalidation,” he said.

Abas also clarified that the party had not yet decided on a particular mode of primary election, noting that consultations were ongoing. “We are still engaging with relevant stakeholders. While options of consensus, direct, and indirect primaries are available, none has been adopted at this point. However, I assure all aspirants and their supporters that the process will be transparent and fair. We urge everyone to embrace peace.”

Responding on behalf of party stakeholders, Alhaji Bello Adeleke Oladeji expressed confidence in the state leadership of the APC and affirmed that the Apex Committee of the party in Ibadan North is committed to working together to support whoever emerges as the candidate.

He described the by-election as a litmus test for the APC ahead of the next general election and pledged full mobilization and cooperation among stakeholders.