Agbowo community in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State has hosted candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) at a community engagement organised under the auspices of the Community Interest Alliance (CIA), in conjunction with Agbemob, where residents presented their developmental needs and received commitments from the visiting political representatives.
The engagement featured the APM candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Dhikrulllahi Adedeji Olajide, popularly known as Odidiomo; the party’s candidate for Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Hon. Folajimi Oyekunle, popularly known as DON; the APM candidate for Ibadan North Constituency II in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebayo Babajide Gabriel; and the Executive Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government and APM chairmanship candidate, Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade.
The candidates received a warm and enthusiastic reception from residents, who turned out in large numbers to participate in the engagement, interact with their representatives and outline the pressing infrastructure and social development challenges confronting their community.
The gathering provided an opportunity for community elders, traditional and religious leaders, youths, landlords, market men and women, and other stakeholders to communicate their expectations directly to the political representatives.
In his welcome address, the councillor representing Ward 12 in Ibadan North Local Government, who is also a resident of Agbowo, hon. Sulaimon Ajao Moonlight, welcomed the APM candidates and expressed appreciation to community members for turning out in large numbers to participate in the engagement.
He described the meeting as an opportunity for constructive dialogue between the community and its political representatives, while wishing the candidates and residents fruitful deliberations capable of producing meaningful outcomes for Agbowo.
Similarly, Hon. Adebayo Babajide Gabriel, the Oyo State House of Assembly member representing Ibadan North Constituency II and the APM candidate for the constituency, welcomed the delegation, drawing on his political connection to the Agbowo community.
He encouraged residents to clearly articulate their needs and expectations, assuring them that the engagement provided an avenue to bring their concerns before the appropriate representatives and discuss practical ways of addressing them.
During the interactive session, community elders, leaders and youths outlined several priority projects they considered essential to improving living conditions and promoting development in Agbowo.
Among their demands were the rehabilitation of the Barika Bridge, improved equipment and resources for community health centres, the establishment of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre, the replacement of the community’s existing electricity transformer, the provision of solar-powered streetlights and empowerment initiatives for residents.
The community leaders stressed the importance of addressing these needs to improve access to healthcare, strengthen security, support young people’s digital skills and create greater opportunities for economic advancement.
In his remarks, Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade commended the people of Agbowo for the warm reception accorded the delegation and their continued participation in community and political activities.
He also appreciated residents for their support for the APM candidates, noting the importance of sustained engagement between community stakeholders and those seeking elective offices.
Responding to the demands presented, Olufade pledged to provide Agbowo with a new electricity transformer, stating that the latest timeline for its delivery would be the middle of November 2027.
On healthcare, the council chairman promised to assess the community’s health centres and work towards equipping them with the necessary medical materials and other resources to improve service delivery.
He also addressed the demand for the rehabilitation of Barika Bridge, explaining that the local government had intended to undertake the project but that the rainy season had prevented the work from proceeding as planned.
Olufade assured the community that the bridge remained an issue requiring attention, offering residents hope that the outstanding infrastructure concerns would receive further consideration.
He also assured the residents that the road linking Agbowo, UI, to Agbowo Express would be constructed.
In his address, Hon. Dhikrulllahi Adedeji Olajide, popularly known as Odidiomo, thanked the people of Agbowo for their hospitality and participation, describing the engagement as an opportunity to understand their needs and discuss practical interventions.
The APM Oyo South Senatorial candidate responded to the community’s requests with several pledges, including the construction of an ICT centre equipped with the necessary gadgets and the provision of a community town hall.
He also announced a donation of 100 solar-powered streetlights to support the community’s lighting needs and contribute to improved visibility and security.
The pledges drew attention to some of the major issues raised during the meeting, particularly digital inclusion, community infrastructure and the need to improve the local environment.
Odidiomo further assured residents that the concerns raised during the engagement had been heard, while urging sustained cooperation between the community and its representatives in pursuing development projects.
Addressing the political dimension of the engagement, Odidiomo urged residents to consider the APM candidates across the various elective positions, outlining what he described as a comprehensive package of representation and community development.
He called on the people to support Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition, presenting his appeal within the context of his preference for a Nigerian leader with strong roots in Oyo State and Ibadan.
He also urged residents to support Olufade’s bid for a second term as Ibadan North Local Government chairman and Gabriel’s bid for a third term in the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Speaking on the federal constituency, Odidiomo encouraged residents to support DON’s re-election bid, arguing that returning him to the House of Representatives could strengthen his legislative experience and capacity to pursue additional constituency projects.
He maintained that continuity in representation could provide an opportunity for the federal lawmaker to build on his experience and advance projects capable of benefiting the constituency.
Odidiomo also criticised opposition parties, arguing that the APM was presenting a comprehensive development agenda to the electorate. He urged residents to consider the party’s candidates across the different levels of government.
During the event, he extended monetary refreshments and support to various groups and demographic categories represented at the gathering.
The engagement attracted a broad range of political and community stakeholders, reflecting the participation of different groups in Agbowo’s development discussions.
Dignitaries in attendance included Hon. Dhikrulllahi Adedeji Olajide Odidiomo, APM candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District; Hon. Wale Bodija, who represented the Ibadan North Federal Constituency candidate, Hon. Folajimi Oyekunle, in his capacity as the candidate’s Special Assistant on Media; Hon. Adebayo Babajide Gabriel, Oyo State House of Assembly member representing Ibadan North Constituency II; and Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade, Executive Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government.
Also present was Hon. Adebowale Falana, Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, alongside Asiwaju Seun Fakorede, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Sports.
Other participants included community residents, landlords and landladies, traditional leaders, religious leaders, youths from different areas, market men and women, and party faithful.
The engagement concluded with renewed discussions around Agbowo’s infrastructure, healthcare, electricity, digital development and community facilities, with residents looking to the visiting representatives to translate the commitments made into tangible improvements.
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