Wole Oke: Olajengbesi Urges Constituents To Express Grievances Through Ballot

The Accord Party candidate for Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has called for peace and restraint following alleged reports of a hostile reception for the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Wole Oke, during a political outing in Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State.

Olajengbesi, in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, urged residents and political stakeholders to embrace peaceful engagement and democratic participation, irrespective of their political differences.

The candidate referred to reports alleging that some constituents expressed dissatisfaction with Oke during the gathering, where claims were also made about a proposed ₦10,000 payment in exchange for an oath to support the lawmaker. The allegation had not been independently verified as of the time of filing this report.

Olajengbesi further said the reported incident was part of a series of encounters in communities within the constituency in which the lawmaker had allegedly faced opposition from some residents.

While acknowledging that voters have the right to express dissatisfaction with their representatives, the Accord candidate cautioned against actions capable of undermining political tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

“While I acknowledge the dissatisfaction and disappointment of our people, publicly humiliating a political figure like Wole Oke is not the right approach. The reported hostile receptions confronting the Honourable Member across communities must be discouraged,” he said.

Olajengbesi, a legal practitioner, urged constituents to channel their concerns about representation and leadership into peaceful political mobilisation rather than confrontation.

“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 added.

He maintained that elected officials and aspiring candidates should be able to engage with constituents peacefully, while voters should also be allowed to ask questions, assess their representatives and make independent political choices.

“Hon. Wole Oke, like every candidate, should be free to campaign in our communities. Our people must equally be free to listen, ask difficult questions, withhold support, and vote according to their conscience,” he stated.

The Accord candidate also stressed the importance of accountability in representative governance, noting that constituents should be able to evaluate the performance of their elected officials without resorting to hostility or actions capable of disrupting public order.

He called on political parties, supporters and community leaders to promote issue-based campaigns and ensure that disagreements arising from political activities did not threaten the peace of the constituency.

Concluding his appeal, Olajengbesi urged residents to place the collective interest of the people above partisan considerations, stressing that political contests should not damage longstanding relationships within the communities.

“Ijesa North is our shared home. Long after this election, we will remain neighbours, friends, and family. No political ambition should undermine the peace and dignity of our communities,” he said.