2023: Should Wumi Oladeji be Stoned or Re-elected? – Femi Ajiboye

Elections are the bedrocks of democracy and voters deserve a robust contest between candidates and the political parties fielding them to enable voters make their choice. At its best, a close contest forces all sides to work harder to deliver. Unfortunately, in recent times not all political contests have been tightly fought. Lack of political contest allows ordinary governments to continue delivering poor results.

As the 2023 general elections keep drawing nearer, Ogbomoso zone is set to witness a new crop of leaders as 75 percent of those contesting various political offices are new breed politicians across the political parties and positions.

Too often, our voting system gives us results that don’t reflect the will of the people, but the narratives may change in Ogbomoso due to the death of Omo Olokun Esin, Adebayo jokoto nikun ajifa, Former Governor of Oyo State, Late Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala.

During his sojourn on earth, Oyato always boasted of being undefeated in his local government and he has been the only one handpicking his state lawmaker and federal house of representatives lawmaker till his death. Three of the last house of representatives lawmaker who won the green chamber seat for Ogbomoso South/North and Oriire where candidates he campaigned for, using three political parties Mulikat Akande Adeola -PDP, Segun Ogunwuyi- Labor Party and Captain Jacob Ajao Adejumo- ADP won their elections with Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi beating Hon. Oye Oyewunmi, son to the late Soun of Ogbomosoland, hands down in the election.

Among those who also seem to benefit from the process is Hon Wumi Oladeji who is seeking re- election back to the Oyo State House of Assembly for a record of third term as the previous two elections were held during the lifetime of Late Also Akala where she won.

Hon. Wunmi Oladeji, was re-elected to represent Ogbomoso North State constituency at the Oyo state House of Assembly for a second term in 2019 beating her closest rival, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Hon Seun Adeyinka Alata with a meager 438 votes.

Ogbomoso North is the base of late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and she contested under the platform of Action Democratic Party ADP brought by the late politician. Oladeji polled 10,677 to defeat the PDP candidate who scored 10,239 and APC candidate who scored APC 6,872. After the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Ogbomoso North, Hon Oladeji led her family members and well wishers to Opadoyin Alao Akala residence to say thank you to her political principal and father.

The two term state honourable, who is seeking to return back to the state legislature for the third time won the ticket in All Progressives Congress, after what was initially debunked as rumor late came to be real that she has been picked for the return ticket by the parties stakeholders in the zone.

Some stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogbomoso North State Constituency, particularly those loyal to the Minister of Youth and Sport, Sunday Dare and those tagged as core progressives rejected the purported move to impose the serving lawmaker, Wumi Oladeji as candidate for the constituency ahead of next year’s election but, she later fought her way in and secured the party ticket.

However, as the general elections draw nearer, can Hon Wumi Oladeji boast that her record of achievements and score card in the state legislature in the last seven years placed her on a good stead to clinch the seat for a record third time and defeat her opponents in the coming election.

Can she boast of the number of bills she sponsored in the house? How many empowerment and jobs did she facilitate and distribute to her constituents? What are the mouthwatering developmental projects she can point to during her stay in the last seven years at the Oyo State House of Assembly that are evidential in Ogbomoso North?

In 2021, member representing Ovia Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa of the All Progressives Congress, suggested that politicians should be stoned should they fail to deliver on their campaign promises to the people.

Should Hon Wumi Oladeji be stoned or returned back to the state legislature for the third time? Who will give her 438 votes again this time?

Regardless of how she views her actions and inactions, you can’t take away the fact that Wumi Oladeji has not done enough to justify the mandate of the people freely given her in the last seven and half years. When there is a direct connection with the citizens at the local level, naturally, every other thing follows. And on this note, Wumi Oladeji has been tested and has been found not to be trustworthy both in action and in words.

To me, she has never been passionate about genuine development that will bring about prosperity to Ogbomoso North State Constituency, and it is the singular reason I am urging voters to shift their focus to another candidate around whose manifesto can turn things around.

OLUWAFEMI AJIBOYE
WRITES FROM OGBOMOSO.