By Lekan Lawal
The aftermath of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary for the Kosofe Federal Constituency has shifted from the polling stations to social media, as residents react to a sweeping political upset and a highly criticized post-election public relations campaign.
Incumbent lawmaker Hon. Kafilat Ogbara suffered a landslide defeat in the direct primary, finishing in a distant fourth place with 5,150 votes. The decisive victory went to Mayor Dele Oshinowo, who secured the party’s official flagbearer ticket with a commanding 18,614 votes. Former contenders Yetunde Arobieke(7,389 votes) and Oluremi Odunsi (5,726 votes) also finished ahead of the sitting representative.
Kosofe APC Primary Election Final Results:
┌───────────────────────────┬──────────────┐
│ Candidate │ Total Votes │
├───────────────────────────┼──────────────┤
│ Mayor Dele Oshinowo │ 18,614 │
│ Yetunde Arobieke │ 7,389 │
│ Oluremi Odunsi │ 5,726 │
│ Hon. Kafilat Ogbara │ 5,150 │
└───────────────────────────┴──────────────┘
The political shockwave deepened online when Ogbara’s prominent PR consultant, Pamilerin Adegoke, attempted to manage the narrative. Taking to social media, Adegoke published a statement urging constituents to look past the political arguments and praise Ogbara’s legislative scorecard, specifically pointing to her work on the Reserved Seats Bill.
The strategy, intended to redeem her image, instead triggered immediate community pushback
Local commentators and party members quickly rejected the spin, pointing out that a fourth-place finish for an incumbent is a direct referendum on her popularity at the grassroots level.
Rather than shifting the focus to her achievements, the post opened the floor for widespread criticism, with users mocking the PR team’s attempt to brand a heavy electoral loss as a moral victory.
Online tension spiked further when a counter-image circulated claiming Ogbara had actually won the primary. The disinformation was swiftly debunked by Mayor Dele Oshinowo on X, who affirmed the legitimacy of the official 18,614 to 5,150 vote margin.
Community Outlook
For Kosofe residents, the primary results signal an undeniable shift in the local political landscape. While Ogbara’s team continues to argue that her three years in office yielded tangible legislative progress, the overwhelming mandate given to Oshinowo demonstrates that the constituency is ready for a new chapter in governance.