Ipokia local government is socioeconomically and politically peculiar. The voting pattern of citizens therein is always characterised by the physical or developmental presence of those jostling to be leaders. A good politician that wants to accrue support for votes from the most peaceful local government in Ogun State should and must be ready to throw in baits that are seen to affect the people developmentally than words that are meant to cajole their votes.
The 2023 elections as it affects the Yewa South/Ipokia Federal constituency is one such that had persons of high calibre and character on the ballot. Politically, it is will be a deceit to have predicted a victory for the ruling party that had a three-term representative on the ballot and from our sister’s Local Government pitched against a candidate of the major opposition who is so loved by all in the Local Government. He is still loved and adored for his visible strides and deeds when he reigned as the Local Government Chairman decades ago.
Also, several factors made the campaigns for the ruling party in Ipokia Local Government tough pre-election. The unpopular policies of the Federal Government coupled with how tough it is for our people to go about their daily lifestyle and the political zoning arrangement of the ruling party which, contradicts the expectation of our people. It should be noted that Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency has 22 wards, with Ipokia Local Government having 12wards which makes it the most populous, also Ipokia LGA has the second highest voters strength in the whole of Ogun west. But then the federal constituency has majorly been represented by the less populous Yewa south LGA, this contributed to the toxic traits by which our people took the campaigns and the General Elections but to the glory of God, the philanthropic effect, street credibility, sagacity with words and brilliant political peculiarity of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, FCA coupled with the grassroots knowledge of the then Candidate but now Member Elect, Ogun State House of Assembly, Idiroko/Ipokia State Constituency, Otunba Bisi Oyedele, softened the minds of the people and thus! Increased the number of votes accrued by the ruling party in the election on February 25th 2023.
During the solo campaigns by Otunba Bisi Oyedele Citiside, there are several places that we got to where we were boldly told not to talk about the elections into the House of Representatives and that they already have their choice and we should just talk about other ballots. It took the resilient spirit in the Okanlomo of Ikolaje Land to try and convince his electorates to see the reason why the victory of the candidate for House of Representatives will be a morale booster for his victory and that the people should in their mercy shun happenings or sentiments and cast their vote in the favour of all candidates of the ruling party.
The insinuation or rumour that some party leaders loyal to distinguish Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, YAYI worked against the party for that election is not only fallacious but unintelligent because nothing of such was obvious during the campaigns and also the analysis from our local government is against the ruling party and her candidates for same elections owing to factors I have highlighted here. I do tell some of my pals that our candidate for the House of representatives will win this election from our sister Local Government for the first time having been supported by us for 4 consecutive times (2003, 2007, 2011and 2015), and what should be done here is for us to lessen the deficit that will be accrued as a result of the obvious factors staring us in the face. Lo! The day arrived and the elections went just as I have predicted but to the glory of God, our candidate emerged with massive votes from our sister Local Government to cancel the deficit we accrued in Ipokia Local Government.
Immediately after the February 25th election, the Okanlomo swung into further action and pinpointed the PUs where we lost heavily.
He visited to hear from the voters what happened and how to solve issues going into the second phase of the elections. It was those visits that made solid our analysis that the majority of the voters voted for the candidate of the opposition party to pay back his giant strides when he was the LG Chairman and others voted to protest that the reps ticket of the ruling party should have been given to one of the aspirants from Ipokia Local Government. Hearing this, Citiside toured all the affected Units and resolved their agitation with brilliant words and of course, facilitated personal developmental projects therein to act as succour to their yearnings. One of the places we visited was the Iporan community, it plays host to 3 Pus, where the APC lost woefully, with about a deficit of 150 in one of the 3 PUs. But the results of the Guber and House of Assembly election saw us win with the highest margin of about 200 in just that PU.
It is rather distasteful to hear days before the Guber/HOA elections that some persons loyal to the rep-elect have decided to pay back the APC in Ipokia Local Government for not standing and winning elections for their boss. We heard them but kept mute and remained focused until God delivered us victorious. It was obvious as there are polling units where these loyalists are and those polling units were largely affected during the elections on March 18th 2023 as we either lost or struggled hard to win. We decided not to complain nor talk about it for victors do not wail but I had to do this because of some inconsequential members of that team that have been ranting and wailing over mere assumptions.
This is to call the attention of all that we in the Ipokia local government hold our leaders in high esteem, anyone that seems to have issues with any of them should go and look for peace rather than soil their name for unfortunate reasons.
For the records, since 2003, the first time PDP lost elections in Ipokia LGA was in 2019 when Hon Abdulkabir contested for Governor. The records are there, if those leaders can work so hard to form a formidable party that can defeat any name (Triple-A and co) or slogan (Yewa Lokan) in an election, I think they should be rewarded with a giant award and their names written in gold in all part of the state as defenders of democracy rather than been condemned by members of a certain political group
