Veteran journalist and politician, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, has declared his intention to seek the All Progressives Congress ticket to contest for the House of Representatives seat for Oluyole Federal Constituency in Oyo State.
The women and youths of Oluyole Federal Constituency have also declared support for the aspiration of the accomplished journalist seeking the ticket of the APC to contest for the seat.
The groups described Olaosebikan as “the right man for the job,” while Olaosebikan declared that “it is my turn to represent Oluyole Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.”
This was detailed in a statement shared with PUNCH Online on Thursday.
Speaking at an event where the former Oluyole Local Government Chairman presented modern public address systems to women and youths at the PBAT-KO Grassroots Movement headquarters in Olomi, Ibadan, APC youth and women leaders in Oluyole Local Government, Mrs Kikelomo Akinleye and Mr Babatunde Lawal, along with ward leaders, expressed support for his bid for the party ticket.
In his address, Olaosebikan said he was ready for any method the APC may adopt for the upcoming primaries, noting that his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, years of service, and contributions to the party make him a strong contender.
“The people of Oluyole deserve a voice that understands their needs and has the capacity to deliver. My loyalty to our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and years of service to the APC and in progressive politics in general are not in doubt,” he said.
He urged party leaders and members to prioritise competence and track record in selecting the party’s flag bearer, stating that Oluyole deserves quality representation given its importance.
Olaosebikan also stated that as a member of the APC, he has remained consistently loyal without any history of defection even after losing primary elections in 2019 and 2023.
He added that for 2027, having served in various roles, including as Regional Coordinator for Media and Publicity, South West, in the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in 2023, “it is my turn to represent Oluyole Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.”
The APC Youth Leader, Lawal, said, “The entire youth of the local government are grateful for the donation,” adding that Olaosebikan “has always been a very generous man both in politics and life generally.”
He further stated, “People like ‘Call me Kenny’ are not common in politics. We are highly appreciative of his kind and pragmatic gesture and are ready to give him our full support in his aspiration. We are ready to support him and other party candidates in the 2027 elections.”
On the part of the women, the Woman Leader of the local government, Akinleye, said the women of Oluyole fully support Olaosebikan, stating that the former Chief Press Secretary to Alhaji Lam Adesina possesses the qualities of a leader.
“We have known Olaosebikan for about 18 years now. He is our Daddy, our brother, our uncle, we love him with passion. He is an excellent party man, very responsible, very responsive, and caring with the love of all at heart.
“We know that if he gets there, our party would be better and stronger, and Oluyole will be far better for it. With Olaosebikan, we are sure of a better life for all, both men and women.
“He came here to seek our support for him to emerge as the House of Representatives Candidate of our party for Oluyole Federal Constituency, and we are supporting him.
“We will do all we can to see him emerge as our candidate,” she said.
