The senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Olajide Ipinsagba, has dismissed reports claiming he lost the recently conducted senatorial primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the publication as false and misleading.
Ipinsagba, alongside other aspirants, contested for the APC senatorial ticket during the party’s primary election. However, the national secretariat of the party is yet to officially announce the outcome of the exercise, leaving party members and stakeholders awaiting confirmation of the final result.
Reacting to reports suggesting that his alleged defeat marked the end of his political relevance, the senator, through a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Adeyinka Ajagunna, rejected the claims and maintained that his political career in Ondo North remained firmly intact.
According to the statement, the commentary circulating in sections of the media was aimed at undermining both the senator’s political standing and the mandate freely given to him by voters during the 2023 elections.
“Our attention has been drawn to a commentary circulating in the media declaring that the political career of Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, representing Ondo North Senatorial District, is over following the recent APC primary,” the statement said.
The senator’s camp argued that claims that his 2023 electoral victory was solely dependent on external political influence diminished the role played by voters across the district, including residents of Owo, Akoko South/West, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South East, and Ose local government areas.
While acknowledging the support received from the late former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, the statement stressed that the senator’s mandate was earned through the votes of the people.
The statement further highlighted several constituency projects and interventions facilitated by Ipinsagba since assuming office in June 2023. These, it said, include rural road projects, healthcare interventions, educational support initiatives, and regular engagements with constituents across the six local government areas in the district.
It also noted that reducing the senator’s support base to the influence of a single political figure ignored the contributions of grassroots supporters, youth organisations, women groups, and traditional institutions that had collaborated with his administration.
According to the statement, the senator leveraged his relationships within the National Assembly and the executive arm of government to attract federal projects and developmental initiatives to Ondo North.
The statement added that Ipinsagba had maintained direct communication with constituents through town hall meetings, constituency office engagements, and project monitoring activities.
“Senator Ipinsagba’s service to Ondo North did not begin in 2023, and it will not end with one primary, the result of which is yet to be made public,” the statement said.
It added that the lawmaker remained committed to youth empowerment, development, and accountable representation, insisting that the major challenge confronting the district was underdevelopment rather than political rivalry.
The senator also expressed appreciation to residents of Ondo North for their continued support and confidence in his leadership, assuring them that he would continue to contribute to the progress of the district regardless of the outcome of the party’s primary process.
