The Accord candidate for Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has challenged political leaders and stakeholders in Ijesa North to resist what he described as an attempt by the incumbent lawmaker, Wole Oke, to extend his stay in the House of Representatives to 28 years.
Olajengbesi, in the third volume of his political epistle titled “Ijesa North, Rise Now,” accused Oke of promoting a political culture that places wealth above competence, character and ideas, urging voters to reject what he described as money-driven politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawyer, who is seeking to represent the constituency, argued that the dominance of money in the area’s political system had discouraged credible individuals, particularly young people, from participating in elective politics.
Recalling his political ambition in August 2016, Olajengbesi said he was told by one of Oke’s allies, Hon. Niyi Ajifowobaje, that he would need to spend between N500 million and N1 billion to be considered a serious contender for the federal constituency seat.
He said a 16-page political assessment prepared for him by a team of young strategists on July 11, 2017, also raised concerns about what he described as Oke’s lack of fresh ideas and innovation.
According to him, the report concluded that money was the incumbent’s major political selling point, alleging that his approach offered little inspiration to younger people in the constituency.
Olajengbesi further alleged that Oke had boasted of purchasing return tickets for political challengers based abroad and financially settling local opponents, while claiming that nobody in Oriade or Obokun could spend up to 20 per cent of what he commits to elections.
He called on political leaders, community stakeholders and individuals of integrity who had withdrawn from partisan politics to become more involved in determining the constituency’s future.
The Accord candidate maintained that young people should not be required to possess enormous financial resources before their ideas and capacity could earn them political consideration.
“I defeated the poverty of the mind a long time ago. I refuse to believe that a young man or woman from Oriade or Obokun must first find a billion naira before anyone will listen to what they have to offer,” he said.
He urged voters to demonstrate their independence at the ballot box in 2027, insisting that electoral mandates should be determined by the people rather than the financial strength of political aspirants.
“On election day, let the self-styled landlord find out who truly owns the mandate. Let’s make his money useless so that we can all say again, ‘Owo ti wo igbo,’” Olajengbesi added.
