Use ballot to reject underperforming politicians, Olajengbesi tells constituents in Osun

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Accord Party candidate for Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has urged constituents to express their dissatisfaction with underperforming political leaders through the ballot box rather than booing or humiliating them during campaign outings.

He made the appeal following reports that Hon. Wole Oke, a seventh-term lawmaker and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the constituency, was booed at a political gathering in Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State, on Tuesday.

Olajengbesi, who is also the campaign spokesman for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election, expressed concern over the incident, urging residents of Obokun and Oriade local government areas to embrace peace and allow all candidates to campaign freely.

He said reports alleged that the incident occurred after Oke insisted that voters swear an oath to vote for him in exchange for ₦10,000 each. He added that the reported incident was the third episode of public humiliation involving the lawmaker within two weeks.

Olajengbesi described the development as troubling, warning against allowing hostility towards political candidates to become normal in the constituency.

While acknowledging the dissatisfaction and disappointment of the people, he noted that publicly humiliating a political figure like Wole Oke was not the right approach.

“However we feel about poor performance or a leader’s prolonged stay in office, the ballot remains the proper means of removing a leader whose time we believe is up. Let us channel our dissatisfaction into peaceful mobilisation and express our judgment on election day,” he said.

Olajengbesi added that the people had every right to question Hon. Wole Oke’s record, challenge his promises and decide whether his years in office justify another term, stating that these legitimate called for accountability must, however, remain within the law.