Prominent elders, leaders and stakeholders from Ila-Orangun in Osun Central Senatorial District have called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to extend the same treatment accorded to four other National Assembly members seeking re-election to Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi Ajagunla.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the stakeholders expressed concern over what they described as an apparent departure from the understanding that facilitated Senator Ajagunla’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
The group recalled that Ila-Orangun played a significant role in supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential ambition in 2023, noting that the town mobilised its resources and political structure under the leadership of former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, to ensure the success of the APC at the polls.
According to the statement, the community remains proud of its contribution to the progressive movement and commended President Tinubu for what it described as his commitment to fairness, justice and loyalty.
The stakeholders, however, lamented that while four other National Assembly members from Osun State who joined the APC alongside Senator Ajagunla have reportedly secured return tickets for the next election cycle, the senator representing Osun Central has allegedly been subjected to a different standard.
“Today, the four others have secured their return tickets under the APC platform. Only Senator Ajagunla, our son, has been subjected to a different standard, with various unwarranted provocations and insults from various quarters,” the statement said.
The group questioned why an arrangement they claimed had earlier been agreed upon should be altered at the last minute, insisting that Senator Ajagunla had joined the ruling party in good faith to strengthen its fortunes in Osun State and reconnect Osun Central to the Federal Government.
Highlighting the senator’s achievements, the stakeholders described him as one of the strongest grassroots mobilisers in the state, citing his contributions to education, youth empowerment, community development and party-building efforts across the senatorial district.
They warned that the development was creating a perception that Ila-Orangun was being sidelined despite its historic contributions to the APC and the broader progressive movement.
The elders urged the party leadership in Osun State, under the stewardship of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, to reflect on the implications of abandoning what they termed established understandings and gentleman’s agreements that help foster trust, unity and loyalty within the party.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for equal treatment. We are not demanding a favour. We are demanding fairness,” the stakeholders stated.
They appealed to the APC leadership to ensure that Senator Ajagunla receives the same consideration as the other four lawmakers, stressing that rewarding loyalty, respecting performance and honouring commitments would strengthen party unity and enhance its electoral prospects.
The statement was jointly signed by elders, leaders and stakeholders of Ila-Orangun in Osun Central Senatorial District.
