Row over the list of 40 All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the 2019 general elections in Ogun state allegedly drawn by Governor Ibikunle Amosun deepened on Monday with Hon. Olumide Babatunde Osoba rejecting the inclusion of his name on it.
Olumide who represented Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency from 2011 – 2015, said he was neither contacted for any consensus arrangement nor did he participate in one, but his name was listed for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency seat’s ticket.
The son of former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, who made this known in a statement, added that it is not only “absurd and ridiculous to find his name on a list been peddled as a consensus list,” but also wrong to attempt to ship him from his primary constituency into another.
He explained that he owes full allegiance to Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency and had never entertained any thought of abandoning them to seek election into the House of Representatives from another Constituency.
The statement reads in full: “I, Olumide Osoba, was privileged to be among the few chosen 360 out of the over 160 million Nigerians to Represent my people in the Green chamber in 2011-2015 at the House of Representatives.
“I will forever be grateful to the people of Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency for finding me worthy to be their Representative.
“Having said that I owe full allegiance to that Federal Constituency and at no time have I ever entertained the thought of abandoning them to seek election into the House of Representatives from another Constituency.
“I served them with all I had and I am till this day grateful for the bond we have. I registered and vote at Owode Ward 3, unit 006 Geleodun polling unit in Obafemi Owode Local Government and I have never participated in the politics of Abeokua South.
“It is therefore absurd and ridiculous to find my name on a list been peddled allegedly as a consensus list.
“I at no time participated in any consensus arrangement and neither was I contacted. I therefore wish to disassociate myself from the list.
“On the issue of primaries of our Great Party for aspirants seeking to become Candidates in the General election of 2019 I totally abide by the ruling and communiqué of the NWC and i am ready and willing to submit myself to a direct Primary in my Federal Constituency of Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency,” Olumide stated.
