Ogun constituents decry ‘Lopsided’ Reps Seat, demand zoning ahead of 2027

The Ifo Progressive Indigenes Forum (IPIF) in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State has demanded that the All Progressives Congress (APC) zone its House of Representatives ticket for the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency to the LG in the 2027 general elections, citing what it described as a long-standing imbalance in representation. This was contained a […]

The Ifo Progressive Indigenes Forum (IPIF) in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State has demanded that the All Progressives Congress (APC) zone its House of Representatives ticket for the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency to the LG in the 2027 general elections, citing what it described as a long-standing imbalance in representation.

This was contained a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta on Thursday by the group’s Chairman, Abdul Oladosu, and Secretary, Kehinde Egbeyemi..

IPIF said the demand for zoning the ticket to Ifo had been consistently raised by party faithful since the last election cycle and was now being echoed by new members joining the party.

The forum cited voting statistics from recent elections to buttress its argument, saying the figures demonstrate Ifo’s electoral strength within the constituency.

The group noted that Ifo LG delivered 20,653 votes for the party in the last gubernatorial election, while Ewekoro LG recorded 20,415 accredited voters and 8,192 votes.

The forum added that in the 2023 presidential election, Ifo produced 26,507 votes compared to Ewekoro’s 9,778.

The forum equally pointed to “structural realities”, noting that Ifo has 448 polling units across 11 wards, compared to Ewekoro’s 188 polling units across 10 wards.

“Where strength is structural and sacrifice demonstrable, acknowledgment should not be negotiable,” the group said.

The group also highlighted what it described as a historical imbalance in representation since the creation of the constituency in 1999.

It noted that politicians from Ewekoro, including former representative Hon Bamidele Obadina and the current lawmaker, Hon Ibrahim Isiaka, have together held the seat for more than 20 years.

By contrast, the group said Ifo had produced only two representatives, Hon Abayomi Collins from 1999 to 2007 and Hon Adekunle Adeyemi from 2011 to 2015, amounting to roughly 12 years of representation.

“Since the creation of the constituency in 1999, representation has largely favored Ewekoro. Bamidele Obadina and the incumbent Ibrahim Isiaka, both from Ewekoro, have together enjoyed over twenty years of representation.

“By contrast, Ifo has had only two opportunities: Abayomi Collins (1999-2007) and Adekunle Adeyemi (2011-2015). In nearly three decades, Ifo has produced representatives for approximately twelve years, while Ewekoro has occupied the seat for over sixteen.

“This is not a sentimental grievance; it is a measurable imbalance. Such lopsidedness, if left unaddressed, gradually weakens party unity and undermines the foundational democratic principle that loyalty and contribution must find equitable reward,” the group said.

While acknowledging the contributions of the incumbent lawmaker, the group insisted that fairness requires political inclusion and opportunity for other parts of the constituency.

“A twin constituency cannot function as a genuine democratic partnership if one half perpetually carries electoral weight while the other retains uninterrupted advantage,” the forum said.

The constituents urged the APC to “let fairness prevail and allow representation rotate to Ifo in 2027.