Osun 2027: Ilare women, youths endorse Olajengbesi, reject alleged oath-taking

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Women, youths and community leaders in Ilare, Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, have endorsed the Accord Party candidate for the House of Representatives, Pelumi Olajengbesi, ahead of the 2027 general elections, while rejecting alleged attempts to induce residents into taking political oaths.

The endorsement came during a gathering in the ancient town, where community leaders condemned an alleged move by aides of the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Wole Oke, to compel some residents to swear oaths in exchange for N10,000.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Pelumi Olajengbesi Campaign Organisation, Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo, the residents assured Olajengbesi that they would not participate in what they described as a dangerous practice, insisting that Ilare would not mortgage its future for money.

A political leader in the town, Hon. Akintayo Fabunmi, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Accord Party, said he left the APC because the party failed to recognise the contributions of its loyal members.

Fabunmi said the APC’s decision to grant an automatic ticket to Hon. Wole Oke, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who served in the party for 20 years, was an insult to the collective intelligence of APC members.

Another defector, identified only as Kayode, said he had vowed never to support or vote for Oke following an interview in which the lawmaker reportedly said his children attended the best schools in the world because he did not waste his youthful years like struggling fathers.

Leaders of local support groups in Ilare, including members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and representatives of women and youth groups, also declared their support for Olajengbesi, describing him as a man of intelligence, character and capacity who could lead the constituency to greater heights.

Olajengbesi, while addressing the gathering, lamented the alleged lack of federal government presence in the town, accusing the incumbent lawmaker of prioritising personal interests over development and alleging that funds meant for schools and community development had been diverted for private use.