The immediate past Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Dr. Rafiu Ajakaye, has recorded a major political victory after defeating incumbent two-term House of Representatives member, Hon. Tijani Ismail Kayode, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward primaries held in Erin South Ward, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to the official ward results sighted by LEADERSHIP, Ajakaye secured a commanding 707 votes, defeating nine other contestants and emerging as the clear frontrunner in the contest for the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency ticket.
Tajudeen Abioye came second with 498 votes, while the incumbent lawmaker, Tijani Ismail Kayode, suffered a shocking defeat, polling zero votes in his own ward.
Other contestants recorded the following results: Kayode AbdulHakeem polled 370 votes, Akintunde Shittu secured 216 votes, Oyekunle Gbenga garnered 191 votes, Ademola Bello had 104 votes, Olaniyan Azeez received 50 votes, Owoniyi Olaitan polled 40 votes, and Ayoola Fakunle got 25 votes.
The result sheet was officially signed by the ward presiding officer, Olagunju Azeez.
Kayode’s crushing loss has been widely interpreted by party stakeholders as a strong rejection of his bid for a third term. Party members cited dissatisfaction with his legislative performance, disconnect from grassroots politics, and perceived arrogance as key reasons for his poor showing.
“When we learnt he was contesting again for the third term, we thought it was a joke taken too far. This is someone many believe abandoned the party structure and failed to justify his previous opportunities. Today’s outcome reflects the will of the people,” an APC member in Erin-Ile reportedly said.
Field reports from across Offa, Oyun, and Ifelodun suggest that Ajakaye is gaining broad momentum within the APC structure, positioning him strongly in the race for the party’s House of Representatives ticket.
The APC primaries in Kwara State have generally been described as peaceful, orderly, and transparent, with other aspirants such as Mukhtar Shagaya and Abdulquawiy Olododo also reportedly performing strongly in their respective constituencies.
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