A political group, the Ekiti North Progressive Youth Alliance, has made a case for Ikole Local Government Area to produce the next senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, citing equity, justice and fair play.
EKNPYA Coordinator, Tayelolu Ajayi, said the local government had not produced a senator since Nigeria’s return to democracy, adding that “equity, fairness and justice demand that the next senator for the senatorial district should come from Ikole Council area”.
Ajayi faulted an alleged plot by some politicians to return National Assembly tickets in the state to current occupants despite what he described as poor performance, warning that such a move would be resisted.
The EKNPYA coordinator, who spoke in a statement made available on Sunday at Ido Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti North Senatorial District, also rejected a consensus arrangement being considered for some National Assembly members from the district.
It will be recalled that all nine National Assembly seats from Ekiti State are currently occupied by members of the All Progressives Congress, including Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), and Cyril Fasuyi (Ekiti North).
Ekiti North Senatorial District comprises five local government areas: Ikole, Oye, Ido/Osi, Moba and Ilejemeje.
Ajayi said, “Suppression of other aspirants in the name of consensus is a political fraud, which will be wholesomely rejected by voters.”
He added that presenting lawmakers as deserving of automatic return to the National Assembly was anti-democratic.
Making a case for Ikole, he said, “To entrench the doctrines of justice, equity and fairplay in the Ekiti North’s political equation, Ikole Local Government should be allowed to present a candidate for the senatorial seat, rather than angling on recycled leadership that often breeds mediocrity and hatred”.
The group urged stakeholders to embrace excellence, noting that the district has competent professionals capable of delivering development.
“At this critical juncture, equity, fairness, and strategic thinking must guide our decisions. It is time to give deliberate consideration to Ikole Local Government. By every standard of balance and justice, Ikole deserves a fair shot at the senatorial seat,” he said.
According to Ajayi, despite being the largest local government area in Ekiti North and second only to Ado Ekiti in the state, Ikole has yet to produce a senator since the return to democracy.
“This longstanding imbalance must now be addressed in the interest of unity, inclusiveness and sustainable progress. There must be true representation.
“True representation will bring strategic infrastructure projects, sustainable empowerment programmes with measurable scale, industrial and agricultural value-chain development, institutional presence that attracts federal investments and bold legislative advocacy translating into real benefits for constituents,” he stated.