Group Urges APC to Zone Ifo/Ewekoro Reps Ticket to Ifo in 2027

The Ifo Progressive Indigenes Forum (IPIF) in Ogun State has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone its House of Representatives ticket for the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency to Ifo Local Government in the 2027 general elections.

The group said the demand was necessary to address what it described as a long-standing imbalance in political representation within the constituency.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abeokuta and signed by the forum’s Chairman, Abdul Oladosu, and Secretary, Kehinde Egbeyemi.

According to the forum, the release of the 2027 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revived what it described as a fundamental moral question regarding representation in the constituency.

The group argued that democracy is sustained not only through elections but also through fairness that citizens can see and experience, adding that political representation in a constituency shared by two local governments should rotate.

IPIF stated that the call to zone the ticket to Ifo Local Government Area has been consistently raised by party members since the last election cycle and is now gaining renewed support from new entrants into the party.

To support its position, the forum cited voting statistics from recent elections, noting that Ifo demonstrated strong electoral support for the party.

According to the group, Ifo recorded 20,653 votes for the APC in the last governorship election, while Ewekoro Local Government Area had 20,415 accredited voters and 8,192 votes.

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

“And in the arithmetic of Ifo/Ewekoro, the numbers speak with unmistakable clarity. Beyond electoral returns lies structural reality,” the statement said.

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

According to the group, politicians from Ewekoro, including former representative Bamidele Obadina and the incumbent lawmaker Ibrahim Isiaka, have collectively occupied the seat for more than two decades.

It noted that Ifo has only produced two representatives within the same period — Abayomi Collins (1999–2007) and Adekunle Adeyemi (2011–2015).

“In nearly three decades, Ifo has produced representatives for about twelve years, while Ewekoro has held the seat for more than sixteen years. This is not a sentimental grievance but a measurable imbalance,” the group said.

It warned that such imbalance, if left unaddressed, could weaken party unity and undermine democratic principles within the constituency.

While acknowledging the contributions of the incumbent lawmaker, the forum insisted that fairness demands broader political inclusion and urged the APC leadership to allow the seat rotate to Ifo in 2027.

Meanwhile, the forum commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for what it described as inclusive governance.

It also praised Dapo Abiodun for infrastructural development in the area, noting that several road projects executed by the state government have improved connectivity and boosted economic activities in Ifo and neighbouring communities.