The community leaders, youth groups and women representatives across the 10 wards of Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State have endorsed Pelumi Olajengbesi as their preferred candidate for the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was announced on Friday in a statement signed by Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo, spokesperson for the Pelumi Olajengbesi Campaign Organization in Ibokun following the calls by stakeholders for a change in representation after what they described as 24 years of inadequate federal presence in the constituency.
The stakeholders, drawn from different groups across the local government, said they believed Olajengbesi had the capacity to provide a new direction for the constituency and address what they considered years of neglect.
Speaking on their behalf, a political leader in the area, Hon. Mayowa Adejorin, criticised the level of development in Obokun, alleging that public resources had not translated into meaningful benefits for residents.
Adejorin also raised concerns over poor road networks and abandoned or unexecuted federal projects, blaming the situation partly on what he described as weak legislative oversight.
He commended Olajengbesi for visiting communities across the constituency to assess their challenges, describing him as a young politician with the energy, ideas and capacity to improve the area.
“We have adopted him as our son. We thank him for rescuing the constituency from political monsters. We believe he will not disappoint us. We must all support, canvas and vote for him,” Adejorin said.
A women representative, Mrs Eniola Omotosho, also called for a change in the constituency’s representation, particularly in addressing the challenges facing women engaged in small-scale businesses.
She alleged that the current representation had failed to provide adequate opportunities for the constituency over the years, adding that Olajengbesi had demonstrated interest in women’s economic empowerment even before seeking political office.
“Pelumi is the only candidate who has been empowering women even before the election. We have seen and heard of his support for small traders, especially women. He is not coming to learn, he is coming to work,” she said.
Similarly, a civil society leader, Comrade Ajayi Dotun, said young people in Ijesa North had remained on the sidelines of political representation for too long.
Dotun questioned the length of time Wole Oke had represented the constituency in the House of Representatives, arguing that residents needed a new generation of leadership.
“Hon. Wole Oke has been in the House of Reps since I was in Junior Secondary School. I have graduated, I am now married with children, yet he is still there. Despite two decades as a legislator, he remains barren in terms of projects. It is time for the youth to take over,” he said.
He added that the youths were backing Olajengbesi because they believed he could provide the leadership needed to move the constituency forward.
Responding, Olajengbesi thanked the community leaders and other stakeholders for their confidence, promising to remain accountable to the people if elected.
He said the endorsement represented a responsibility to secure a better future for the next generation, rather than a personal political victory.
“This endorsement is not for me, it is for our children. It is a mandate to Rescue, Restore and Reset Obokun/Oriade. I will not be an Abuja representative, I will be a home-based representative. I will always remember this endorsement, it will forever remain in my heart,” he said.
Olajengbesi also presented aspects of his proposed agenda, including youth empowerment, women’s inclusion and effective legislative representation.