.By Lekan Adejuwon
The Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Hakeem Jamiu on Thursday rounded off his campaigns tours of wards and communities in Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 2 on a brigher note as people of his constituency pledged their support for his re-election ahead of Saturday’s Assembly election.
At the colourful event, key party leaders, political office holders and residents of the towns in the Constituency reiterated their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer.
The campaign train covered the Deputy Speaker’s home ward, Igbemo Ward, Afao/Araromi Ward, Are Ward and Iworoko Ward where he met with leaders from Awo, Iropora, Eyio, Ilomu and Esure which had earlier been visited during the first round of the campaign before the election was shifted to this Saturday.
Prominent APC leaders including the immediate past Chairman of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission and former Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun; APC Southwest Zonal Secretary, Hon. Vincent Bewaji; former House of Assembly member who had represented the Constituency, Hon. Ayodeji Odu; State APC Women Leader, Mrs. Caroline Egunlusi; Ifedara Local Council Development Area Chairman, Hon. Sina Ogunleye and former Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Kayode Ojo, canvassed for another term for Rt. Hon. Jamiu based on his impressive performance during his first term.
Others who charged the voters in the Constituency to re-elect Jamiu included former Board Member of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Chief (Mrs) Remi Fadipe-Anisulowo; former Board Member of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hon. Ehinafe Odunayo; former House of Assembly member who represented the Constituency, Hon. Peter Ajayi, former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Pastor Sesan Adewumi and Hon. Gabriel Olaofe.
Others include former state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Chief Laolu Omosilade; Colonel Joe Oluwayose (rtd), the first House of Assembly member for the Constituency, Hon. Femi Aluko; former Secretary, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Tayo Egunlusi, another former Local Government Secretary, Hon. Lawrence Ogunsanya, among several others too numerous to mention.
In all the wards and communities visited, Rt. Hon. Jamiu appreciated the support he had enjoyed from them in the last four years and pledged to do more for the Constituency if re-elected back to office on Saturday.
From the beginning of the campaign rally in Igbemo down to the finishing point at Iworoko, it was a carnival-like event with party men, women, youth, students, commercial motorcyclists coming out in their numbers to welcome the Deputy Speaker and the campaign train.
The Deputy Speaker urged his constituents to ignore the antics and the falsehood of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) describing them as “dead parties.” He said judging by the results of the recently conducted elections, the APC would record an overwhelming victory on Saturday.
The campaign also witnessed the inauguration of a borehole project in Aba Ebira in Iketun Community in Afao Ekiti which was rehabilitated by the Deputy Speaker to provide water for residents who were all excited to see it functioning again eight years after it was damaged.
Led by the community leader, Dauda Mohammed and the Imam, Alfa Bello Abdulmalik, they all pledged to repay the Deputy Speaker with their votes at Saturday’s House of Assembly election for bailing them out of thirst and inconvenience.
Mohammed said the community appreciates Rt. Hon. Jamiu for restoring their water and for his benevolence to them which he said would be rewarded with votes at the Assembly election on Saturday.
Abdulmalik said the community invited the Deputy Speaker to assist them in rehabilitating the water project and he responded promptly assuring him that he (Rt. Hon. Jamiu) has been adopted as their Assembly candidate and their votes would go to him to ensure his re-election for him to continue his good works.
Speaking while commissioning the refurbished borehole, Rt. Hon. Jamiu said he promised to execute the project when his attention was drawn to it and he was moved that the community had lacked potable water for over eight years.
He said: “I am their representative here, we cannot be sharing money to every house and projects like these must be done to bring relief to our people. I promised to rehabilitate this water project and it is now running again.
“I thank God for using me to refurbish this borehole and bringing it back into use again after it was last used eight years ago. I am happy that the water is now running again and I want to urge that our people should use it carefully so that it doesn’t get damaged again.”
Party leaders who spoke across the wards visited attested to the competence, vibrancy, generosity and quality representation given in the last four years by Rt. Hon. Jamiu urging the electorate in Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 2 to use their votes to return the candidate back to office.
APC Southwest party scribe, Hon. Bewaji urged the residents to troop out to their polling units en masse on Saturday and vote the APC candidate in the Constituency. He counselled the old voters to insist on voting for the broom party and its candidate (Jamiu).
Hon. Bewaji educated the electorate to use their index finger to vote in order not to record void votes. He charged eligible voters not to go to their farms on Saturday but to ensure that they exercise their franchise for the Deputy Speaker and by extension, the APC.
Ifedara LCDA Chairman, Hon. Ogunleye emphasized that the Saturday’s election in goes beyond Rt. Hon. Jamiu as a person but a matter for everyone in the Constituency because of what the candidate has done for the constituents including creation of the LCDA for the people.
He explained that Rt. Hon. Jamiu facilitated the reconstruction of Are-Afao Road in collaboration with the Executive Director (Finance and Accounts) Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Hon. Dapo Kolawole and also ensured the upgrade of the Alare of Are Ekiti, Oba Boluwade Adeniyi to Grade “A Plus” and the Onigbemo of Igbemo, Oba Adewumi Daramola to Grade “A.”
State APC Women Leader, Mrs. Egunlusi, demanded that the votes to be returned for Rt. Hon. Jamiu be doubled and urged voters not to make the mistake of voting opposition parties which have no House of Assembly member, House of Representatives member, Senator, Governor or President.
She assured the Deputy Speaker of the support of the party women whom she said would go out to mobilize other women in their communities to vote for APC on the day of the election.
Former Irepodun/Ifelodun LG Chairman, Hon. Ojo and party leader in Iworoko, said the State Assembly election concerns Governor Biodun Oyebanji because he needs to work with legislators of like minds and no opposition candidate who will be giving him problems should be allowed to enter the House.
Former Deputy Speaker/Assembly Commission Boss, Rt. Hon. Olatunbosun expressed confidence that APC would defeat other parties contesting the election on Saturday with wide margin saying faithful would ensure that the party wins overwhelmingly for Governor Oyebanji to enjoy the cooperation of the legislature in the Seventh Assembly.
A party leader at Are and state APC Publicity Secretary, Hon. Segun Dipe, said Ekiti is now on the spotlight having been the first state to deliver the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election which signalled the commencement of victory song for the party’s presidential candidate and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Describing the Deputy Speaker as “an Are son,” Hon. Dipe, who is also the Chairman of the Campaign Committee for Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituencies 1 and 2 demanded a landslide victory for the candidate for him to consolidate the good works he had started in the last four years.
He attested to the good character, brilliance and competence of Rt. Hon. Jamiu whom he described as a friend with whom he had enjoyed friendship several years ago in places like Ado Ekiti, Ikare Akoko (where they schooled together) and also in Lagos (where they worked).
A party leader at Iworoko and former Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Yakubu Sanni, said majority of the people of the town would implement what he called “Iworoko Agenda” which he said was predicated on their resolve not to be in opposition to the state government.
Alhaji Sanni said prominent Iworoko sons like Chief Julius Ajayi popularly known as “Little-By-Little” and retired Permanent Secretary, Mr. Alfred Ologuntoye, have resolved not to be in opposition to the state government and ruling party and would support Rt. Hon. Jamiu’s candidature to ensure his victory on Saturday.
Speaking with reporters after touching all the wards on schedule for the last day of campaign, the Deputy Speaker reiterated his readiness to work harder for the development of his constituency in the areas of lawmaking, performance of oversight functions, attracting projects to the communities and promoting human development of his constituents.
He urged all eligible voters to come out on Saturday and vote for him and his party assuring that the Oyebanji-led administration has promised to give adequate security to ensure that they exercise their franchise.
Describing himself as the servant of the people, Rt. Hon. Jamiu used the opportunity of the campaign to give account on his account of stewardship which include execution of key projects, sponsorship of quality bills which had been passed into law and providing employment opportunities for job seekers in the Constituency.
He said: “I am happy that the people in the wards visited are ready to give me their votes. They have asked me to do more, I need to listen to their requests because I am the servant of the people.
“I have confidence that I am going to be victorious on Saturday. I have represented eleven communities in the last four years and seeking a re-election is another opportunity to do more.
“For example, Are Ekiti was in darkness for about nine months and I restored their electricity. I sponsored Ekiti Food Security Bill which has been signed into law, it was the first private member bill in the Sixth Assembly.
“Oye-Are Road has been put into the budget and the money will be provided for it. This was made possible because I am the Chairman of the House Committee on Works and Transportation, among many other things God has used me to do in this Constituency.”
The campaign train also reached the Ebira settlement at Iworoko where the residents also pledged their support for the candidacy of Rt. Hon. Jamiu promising to troop out in their numbers on Saturday to cast their votes for him.
