The Pelumi Olajengbesi Campaign Organisation (POCO) has called on Hon. Wole Oke, the lawmaker representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, to fulfil a financial pledge he reportedly made to Iloko-Ijesa during the community’s 2024 Iloko Day celebration.
The organisation, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its spokesperson, Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo, said the lawmaker made the pledge publicly before the Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, his chiefs and members of the community but had yet to fulfil it two years later.
POCO described the alleged failure to redeem the pledge as disappointing, urging Oke to honour his commitment to the community without further delay.
“It is embarrassing that a pledge made before His Royal Majesty, the Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, his chiefs, and the entire community has remained unfulfilled two years after,” the organisation said.
The group also condemned what it described as growing reports of forced oath-taking across Oriade/Obokun ahead of the 2027 general elections, calling for an immediate end to the practice.
According to POCO, residents should be free to support candidates of their choice without threats, intimidation or pressure to swear oaths before deities or other objects.
It maintained that no individual or political interest should claim ownership of the constituency or restrict residents’ freedom to make independent political choices.
The organisation also commended traditional rulers and other stakeholders for speaking against the alleged practice, while praising youths in Ijesa North for taking a stand against oath-taking.
POCO urged political actors to respect the rights of residents and allow the electoral process to be guided by voters’ freely expressed choices.
The statement did not specify the amount of the pledge allegedly made by Oke or provide details of the reported incidents of forced oath-taking. The allegations were contained in POCO’s statement and were not independently verified.
