The political landscape of Remo Federal Constituency took a dramatic turn on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured a landslide victory in the House of Representatives by-election, dealing a heavy blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leader in Ogun State, Hon. Ladi Adebutu.

Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate in the 2023 general election, had been widely regarded as holding firm political dominance in the constituency, comprising Sagamu, Ikenne and Remo North Local Government Areas. This perception was largely shaped by the 2023 governorship and House of Assembly polls, in which the PDP clinched all three LGAs.

However, Saturday’s by-election told a different story. The APC candidate, Hon. (Dr.) Princess Ayoola Adesola Elegbeji, scored an emphatic victory, polling 41,237 votes against her PDP rival, Bolarinwa Oluwole, who garnered 14,234 votes.

A breakdown of the results shows the APC’s dominance across the three local governments:

Ikenne LGA: APC – 10,227; PDP – 5,595

Remo North LGA: APC – 8,052; PDP – 992; ADC – 37; ADP – 43

Sagamu LGA: APC – 22,958; PDP – 7,737

The outcome has sparked concerns among PDP members and stakeholders in the constituency, who now fear that the party’s once-assured grip on Remo politics may have slipped away. The defeat has been described as both “embarrassing” and “indicative of shifting loyalties” in the region.

Political analysts believe the resounding victory reflects the renewed influence of Governor Dapo Abiodun, CON, who hails from Iperu in Ikenne LGA. Many see the by-election as a political statement that the governor has successfully reclaimed Remo Federal Constituency for the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

For Adebutu, who is expected to make another run for the governorship seat in 2027, the result raises troubling questions about his hold on his traditional base. Once considered his stronghold, the Remo bloc may no longer be the reliable platform for launching his political ambitions.