Bye-Election-Ibadan North APC Faces Fresh Rift as Faction Picks Repete
IBADAN NORTH APC CRISIS: Faction Backs Repete Amid INEC Dispute and Withdrawal of Akinremi’s Loyalists
Bye-Election-Ibadan North APC Faces Fresh Rift as Faction Picks Repete
The internal turmoil within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibadan North Federal Constituency has deepened, as six aspirants under the United Aspirants Forum have declared support for Hon. Khalil Mustapha Repete as their consensus candidate for the August 2025 bye-election.
Eagles Sight News gathers that this endorsement comes in the wake of a reported primary election in which Hon. Adewale Haastrup Olatunji, popularly known as Murphy, was earlier declared winner after scoring 31 out of 60 votes, defeating nine other aspirants in what was initially described as a peaceful and controversy-free process.
However, a newly surfaced memo by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cast serious doubt over that process. Eagles Sight News reports that A document dated July 21, 2025, and signed by Rosemary Alaba Adeniyi, Acting Administrative Secretary of INEC in Oyo State, stated categorically that the APC primary election scheduled for July 19 did not take place. The memo, addressed to the Director of Election and Party Monitoring at INEC Headquarters, indicated that INEC officials were unable to observe the exercise.
Further corroboration came from Kehinde Omisile, Acting Head of INEC’s Election and Party Monitoring Department, who also noted that the Commission’s monitoring efforts proved abortive.
While the INEC memo raises questions about the validity of Murphy’s candidacy, it has not been officially confirmed as the reason behind the decision of the United Aspirants Forum to endorse Repete.
The forum held its decisive meeting on July 30, 2025, at the APC State Secretariat, Oke Ado, Ibadan, in two sessions. The first session featured prominent leaders from Ibadan North, including the Peace Advocates led by Prince Adeyoju and Chief Wale Owu, alongside state party leadership. The second session was a closed-door meeting involving key stakeholders such as Alhaji Olaide Abas (State Chairman), and former deputy governors Barr. Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Alake Adeyemo, and Engr. Rauf Olaniyan.
“After serious deliberation in the closed-door meeting, we, the united aspirants, conducted an internal election among ourselves to determine the unified candidate for the party to move forward. The outcome of the election was clear: Hon. Khalil Mustapha Repete emerged as the winner.”
Following the internal selection, the aspirants pledged to support Repete fully:
“In light of this outcome, we have all resolved to mobilize our supporters for the candidature of Hon. Khalil Mustapha Repete in the forthcoming by-election. We believe that Hon. Khalil Mustapha Repete is the ideal candidate to lead our party to victory, and we pledge to support his candidacy and work together towards a victorious outcome that will strengthen the APC’s hold on the constituency.”
Adding another layer to the crisis, Eagles Sight News had earlier reported a significant withdrawal by key political associates of the late federal lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Prince Musiliu Olaide Akinremi (Jagaban). His personal aides, confidants, and closest supporters, operating under the Akinremi Think Tank, announced they would withdraw from all APC campaign activities for the upcoming by-election.
Their decision, according to a public statement, stemmed from “disappointing dispositions, unprovoked hatred, outrageous labelling, overbearing toxicity, and continuous verbal attacks” from certain party leaders and members of the Ibadan North APC, as well as figures within the Oyo State APC executive.
As the August 16 bye-election draws near, the APC in Ibadan North appears to be facing a deepening internal crisis marked by factional divides, questions of legitimacy, and the withdrawal of key loyalists, potentially weakening the party’s position in the race.