# RE: THE EKITI NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY II PRIMARY – WHEN POWER TRUMPS POPULARITY, APC LOSES
**A Reply to the Jaundiced Musings of a Supposed Elder**
I read with a mix of amusement and disdain the article authored by one "Elder" Adigun Otaomokunola. It is difficult to believe that such a heavily biased, fact-free opinion could emanate from a true Elder of Ekiti land. If the writer is an elder at all, it must be merely by age or self-appellation, because no true Ekiti elder, grounded in our cultural values of truth and integrity, would pen such a baseless tissue of lies.
Let us dissect the facts, clear the smoke, and expose the reality of the Ekiti North Federal Constituency II primary election.
1. The Reality of Grassroots Popularity vs. Political Jamboree
The only absolute fact in the public domain is that **Hon. Ibrahim Kunle Olarewaju** is a household name, both in national politics and within the grassroots of Ekiti State. Before resigning his presidential appointment as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Hon. Olarewaju consulted widely and deeply. He engaged not just with local party faithful, but with critical stakeholders who shape local and national politics.
In contrast, the sitting lawmaker, Hon. Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole, relied on a late-night political jamboree. He failed to make hay while the sun shone, wrongly assuming that empty noise could replace genuine, sustained consultation.
The writer’s reference to the 2022 primary victory of Akinlayo is a historical distortion. That election was a documented sham. Out of respect for the memory of the late APC Chairman, we will not fully exhume the hanky-panky and backroom deals of that era. However, let Akinlayo and his media handlers be reminded that history does not reside with them alone. His shameful plots with certain political actors in Oye LGA remain fresh in our memories. They would be wise not to stir the hornet's nest.
2. True Merit and the Power of Representation
Politics is driven by merit and impact. Following the heavily manipulated 2022 primary, a post-mortem analysis of the process revealed the truth. It was on the basis of sheer merit, intellect, and capacity that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Hon. Ibrahim Olarewaju as his aide, making him one of the very first appointments from Ekiti State.
While Akinlayo has been a largely invisible figure in the green chamber, completely detached from his constituents, Hon. Olarewaju utilized his network to facilitate massive empowerments, employment opportunities, and community projects that far outclassed the sitting lawmaker. Little wonder the news of Akinlayo’s defeat triggered spontaneous jubilation across Ido-Osi, Moba, and Ilejemeje Local Government Areas.
3. Legislative Experience: A Case of Quality vs. Absenteeism
To the politically conscious people of Ekiti North, Akinlayo’s tenure will go down in history as one of the worst eras of representation. What "experience" is the writer celebrating? Where are the bills? Where are the motions? Instead of standing up for his people during crucial national debates, Akinlayo was more frequently spotted in Abuja clubs and Akure parties.
Compare this to Barr. Hon. Ibrahim Olarewaju: a seasoned lawyer, a former federal lawmaker with a proven track record of sponsoring impactful bills, and a master of executive-legislative networking. His appointment to bridge the gap between the entire House of Representatives and the Presidency is proof of his elite standing. Given the choice between an absentee lawmaker facing multiple EFCC scrutiny and a refined legal mind with direct access to the presidency, the highly literate people of Ekiti North naturally chose the latter.
Nobody cut short Akinlayo’s legislative journey; his own absenteeism, lack of legislative comprehension, and baggage cut it short for him. Now, he will finally have all the time he needs to attend to his pending cases with the anti-graft agency.
4. The Fact of a Transparent Primary
The desperate narrative of a flawed primary collapses under the weight of overwhelming evidence visible across social media.
* **The Evidence on the Ground:** In Ifaki Ward 2, viral picture showed a stark reality, only three women stood behind Akinlayo’s poster, while hundreds of committed party members lined up behind Hon. Ibrahim Olarewaju. This scenario was replicated across the constituency, save for Akinlayo's immediate ward, where home advantage gave him a minor consolation. Throughout Moba, Ido-Osi, and Ilejemeje, the chants of *"IBO! IBO!"* (Ibrahim Kunle Olarewaju) rented the air.
**The Returning Officers:** The claim criticizing the state government appointees who served as returning officers is legally and politically ignorant. Party primaries are internal affairs conducted by card-carrying, financially up-to-date members of the party, with INEC officials present as observers. Is Akinlayo suggesting that APC members holding government appointments lose their rights within their own party? Or did he expect members of the opposition ADC, a party he has been heavily romancing behind closed doors, to conduct an APC primary?
* **Credible Processes:** Every single ward outcome was backed by proper accreditation and actual headcounts, fully witnessed by INEC. We intentionally documented these processes because we knew a day would come when sore losers would attempt to manufacture lies. Unfortunately for them, the truth has caught up with them.
5. Exposing Anti-Party Activities and Thuggery
The writer’s attempt to blackmail the APC with threats regarding the June 20, 2026 governorship election and the 2027 general elections is dead on arrival.
Let the records show that before Akinlayo ever stumbled into the House of Representatives, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) had already been overwhelmingly elected. In fact, it was Hon. Ibrahim Olarewaju, alongside Senator Cyril Fasuyi, who spearheaded the victorious campaign for BAO in Ekiti North Constituency II. Akinlayo had zero electoral weight then, and he has even less now.
We are fully aware of Akinlayo’s nocturnal meetings with the ADC and PDP hierarchies in Abuja and Ekiti respectively. These anti-party activities have been meticulously archived, and the appropriate party disciplinary organs will deal with him in accordance with the APC constitution.
Furthermore, Ekiti will no longer tolerate the politics of hooliganism. The primary election saw the influx of armed thugs and cultists imported to disrupt the peace of our people. Thankfully, security agencies acted decisively, and several of these elements are currently remanded in Afao prisons.
Conclusion: The Triumph of the Popular Will
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji must be commended for ensuring a level playing field where the true will of the people prevailed without executive interference.
The APC primary has come and gone. Hon. Ibrahim Kunle Olarewaju won squarely because he is a grassroots mobilizer, a loyal party man, and a performer. The party must now move forward and treat any act of sabotage or anti-party activity with the seriousness it deserves.
Adeoye B. Benjamin
Writes from Igogo-Ekiti
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