Candidate of the Accord Party (A) in the August 16 bye – election in Ogun State,
Hon. Oke Rotimi Michael, has deplored the comments credited to state chairman of the Inter – Party Advisory Council(IPAC), Com. Abayomi Sanyaolu, on the outcome of the election, describing it as undemocratic, unilateral and misleading.
Sanyaolu had on Wednesday while briefing newsmen in Abeokuta urged the opposition political parties to accept the results and winner of the bye election for Ikenne, Remo North and Sagamu Federal Constituency of the State as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or approach the court to challenge it.
No fewer than 17 political parties participated in the said bye election and in the end the INEC declared candidate of the APC, Hon Adesola Ayoola Elegbeji, as the winner having scored 41,237 votes against her closest rival, Bola Oluwole, of the People Democratic Party(PDP), who garnered 14, 324 votes. The ACCORD party polled 35 votes, African Democratic Congress (ADC) 271, Social Democratic Party(SDP) 10 and NRM 59.
However, the IPAC chairman said the bye – election had come and gone with the winner and losers determined by the INEC based on the collated results, and challenged whoever that is not satisfied with the outcome to follow the path of peace and decency to seek redress.
He added that the body wants peace and harmony in the state, not bloodshed or violence, stressing that even his own party – Action Alliance – had accepted the election outcome in good faith.
He said, “My political party is Action Alliance (AA). We tried our possible best to make sure that we take the seat away from the All Progressives Congress but they played their own political joker on us, thereby wining the election. INEC has already announced the winner. I don’t see what any one of us wants to do.
”As a state chairman of IPAC, all what I’m calling for is unity. I’m calling for peace as far as Ogun State is concerned. I don’t want violence. Our role in IPAC to relate with political parties and ensure that there is peace and not bloodshed after election. If any opposition is not satisfied with the outcome, they can go to court.”
Also, NNPP’s Oginni Olaposi and Abayomi Arabambi of the Labour Party, aligned with the position of Sanyaolu. The duo said there was no need for any party or candidate to cry over spilt milk, declaring that the outcome couldn’t have turned out otherwise.
But in a statement made available to The Daily Crucible on Friday, the Accord Paty candidate dismissed Sanyaolu comments as having spoken for himself and his political party – Action Alliance (AA), not Ogun IPAC.
Oke said the IPAC Chairman is never to be a spokesman of government or political parties but to facilitate discussion and maintain members harmony, and not impose personal opinions on others.
He noted that majority of the political parties that participated in the bye-election were not consulted, invited, or briefed prior to the press release, declaring that the Sanyaolu’s statement should not be interpreted as the stand of the IPAC in Ogun State.
According to Oke, Sanyaolu’s claims are unilateral, personal, and not the general choice of political parties in the state.
Below is the full statement:
IPAC Ogun State Chairman’s Statement: An Undemocratic, Unilateral and Misleading Position*
My attention as a duly recognized State Chairman of ACCORD Party in Ogun State has been drawn to a press statement made on Wednesday, 20th August 2025, by the IPAC, Ogun State Chairman, Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu of Action Alliance (AA).
While Sanyaolu was prideful about speaking on behalf of all political parties under the IPAC fold in Ogun State, it is necessary to state explicitly that his claims and statements are unilateral, personal, and not the general choice of political parties in the state.
1. Running IPAC as a Personal Property
Since his emergence, Comrade Sanyaolu has run IPAC in Ogun State unilaterally, showing no regard for consultation, democratic engagement, or respect for decisions of other party Chairmen. Facts on the ground show that no IPAC meeting was convened since February 2025. It is therefore shocking and completely undemocratic for him to issue a statement in the name of IPAC without consulting or endorsing it by members.
2. Working Together with Factional Outsiders
More than a probability that the Ogun IPAC Chairman would go as low as to co-sign a joint press statement with factional actors whose claims to party leadership in the state, remains unrecognised by INEC or their respective party national secretariats.
To put facts right, Mr. John Aina, Esq. is the INEC-recognized Ogun State Chairman of NNPP, not Mr. Olaposi Oginni.
Similarly, Alhaji Lukmon Jagun is the recognized State Chairman of Labour Party, and not Mr. Abayomi Arabambi.
The assignment of so-called “factional leaders” to represent IPAC and sign a communiqué press release is an act of deliberate misinformation and blatant disrespect for the democratic principles upon which IPAC is established.
3. Not Spokesman of Ogun Political Parties
The IPAC Chairman is never a spokesman of government or political parties in Ogun State. He is there to facilitate discussion and maintain member harmony, and not to impose personal opinions or act as a mouthpiece for government or any political agenda.
It is important to note that political parties that participated in the claimed-concluded Remo Federal Constituency bye-election were not consulted, invited, or briefed prior to the release of the aforementioned press statement. The aforementioned statement by Sanyaolu cannot and ought not to be interpreted as the stand of IPAC Ogun State.
4. ACCORD Party’s Position
In the interest of clarity, the ACCORD Party in Ogun State respectfully disassociates itself completely from the press statement issued by Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu. His opinion is the position of his party, AA, and not meant to be construed as a consensus of IPAC members in Ogun State.
We reaffirm that IPAC, being an organ, must be guided by democratic norms of consultation, transparency, inclusiveness, and respect for due process. Any attempt to assume the voice of political parties in the state through unilateral action is deplored.
The bye-election on August 16, 2025, is still a matter of immense concern to all, in view of the overall reports of malpractice, intimidation, and irregularities. The political parties have the right under the constitution to ventilate their grievance and get redress through proper channels, if they so desire. No one person, including the IPAC Chairman, has the right to silence or overrule the voice of other political parties.
I humbly call upon the national leadership of IPAC, INEC, and patriotic Nigerians to be aware of these undemocratic tendencies and caution Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu against future misuse of the IPAC platform for personal or partisan objectives.
Signed,
Hon. Oke Rotimi Michael
State Chairman, ACCORD, Ogun State
