Coalition Demands Youthful Representation In Osun East Senate Race

A coalition of Ijesa indigenes from Osun East Senatorial District, both at home and in the diaspora, has demanded a rotational shift in the district’s Senate seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Under the banner of Ijesa Concerned Citizens, the group urged political parties and voters to reject a potential third term for the incumbent senator, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (APC), and prioritize youthful Ijesa representation.

In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja on, the coalition reviewed Osun East’s political history since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.

It noted that Ife has dominated the seat, producing two senator Iyiola Omisore (2003 -2011) and Babajide Omoworare (2011-2019) for a combined 16 consecutive years.

Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Ijesa, is currently in his second term (2019 till present). The group argued that endorsing him for another term would deny Ijesa the chance to produce two full representatives in the same 16-year cycle, upsetting the unwritten Ife-Ijesa power-sharing balance.

“The Senate seat belongs to the people, not to any individual. Leadership must not become a permanent occupation while the people yearn for broader opportunities and fresh ideas,” the statement declared.

Framing the demand as a quest for equity rather than rivalry, the coalition highlighted Ijesaland’s pool of “competent and vibrant professionals” poised to offer effective legislative representation, stronger grassroots engagement, and better youth and women empowerment.

The group appealed to traditional rulers, party leaders from APC, PDP, Accord, ADC, and others, as well as the electorate, to champion inclusivity and generational transition.

“Our people deserve stronger grassroots engagement, expanded economic opportunities, better federal presence, and a leadership style that inspires hope for the future. Ijesaland deserves progress, not political recycling,” it added.

Agitations for zoning and shift in Nigeria’s National Assembly, particularly in multi-ethnic districts like Osun East, which spans Ife and Ijesa kingdoms must be handled with care so that all interest must be take care, statement noted.

The Ijesa Concerned Citizens emphasized that their stance is “not a personal attack but a push for healthy political transition and balanced representation. It is certain that if Sen. Fadahunsi returns to the Senate for the third term, then it will return to Ife thereby jeopardizing our 16 years opportunity in the Senate.”

They called on the Ijesa land to unite for “renewal and a new direction for Osun East.”