Stakeholders from across Yagba Federal Constituency on Saturday converged on Cruise Memorial College, Mopa, in Mopamuro Local Government Area of Kogi State, for the inauguration of the Elder Leke Abejide Support Group.
Elder Leke Abejide, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is serving his second term in the House of Representatives, representing Yagba Federal Constituency, which comprises Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas. He is seeking re-election for a third term in the 2027 general elections.
Before the inauguration, members of the group had earlier embarked on a road walk across major streets and towns in Mopamuro LGA in solidarity with the lawmaker and to canvass support for his third term bid, as well as for the second term re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The road walk, which attracted a massive turnout of supporters, party loyalists and residents, moved through Mopa town and other communities, with participants chanting solidarity songs and displaying banners in support of the three candidates.
The inauguration was organised by supporters of the lawmaker to mobilise grassroots support for what they described as a triple mandate: the re-election of Abejide, the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the re-election of Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
In his address, the Director General of the group, Chief Olorunsola Charles Yomi, said the group was formed by men and women who believe in Abejide’s leadership, transparency and performance.
He said the support group, and not the lawmaker himself, convened the inauguration to show solidarity and love for their principal, adding that Abejide would soon commence his own campaign.
Yomi disclosed that five persons had been selected in each ward across the three local government areas as ward executives of the group to coordinate mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the group, Hon. Adebayo Toba Emmanuel, popularly known as Belusi, said members came together under one umbrella, pooling their resources to canvass support for the three candidates.
Belusi, a former Special Assistant on Urban and Regional and Project Monitoring to Kogi Governor, said five canvassers and coordinators were drawn from each local government and integrated at the inauguration, and would be given stipends to work for the election.
He said the people of Yagba were encouraged by the ongoing road construction and improved security in the area, noting that residents could now sleep better and gather freely, unlike in the past when insecurity made such gatherings difficult.
He added that Abejide’s empowerment programmes had touched many lives, with another phase of empowerment scheduled for Dec. 26.
In her remarks, the former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Kogi State, Hon. Bolanle Amupitan, said Abejide deserved re-election because he had empowered youths, women and vulnerable widows over the past eight to 10 years.
Amupitan said women, who constitute the majority of voters, would be mobilised from house to house and ward to ward to vote for Abejide, Ododo and Tinubu, stressing that the constituency did not want to be in opposition.
She said legislative experience matters, noting that a legislator needs time at the national level to navigate the system and attract dividends of democracy to the constituency.
Also speaking, the former Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Sports, Dr M.D. Eseyin, corroborated the testimonies on Abejide’s quality representation and urged the people to unite behind him so he could attract more dividends of democracy to the constituency.
In a notable cross-party endorsement, the Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kogi State, Sunday Maiyaki, said Abejide was enjoying support across party lines because he is a household name in Yagba land and a man of his word.
Maiyaki said Abejide had given N10 million to 74 communities in Yagba land, with a second tranche expected, N100 million to women for empowerment, and had promised N500 million for youth empowerment.
He described Abejide as a talk-and-do person who delivers on his promises, and said the people want him returned to the National Assembly.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government Area, Hon. Demola Bello commended the people for their massive turnout, including the road walk, and urged them to come out en masse to vote for Abejide and President Tinubu.
He noted that Abejide had done well for the people of Yagba Federal Constituency, particularly in youth empowerment.
The inauguration ended with a charge to the newly inaugurated ward executives to return to their communities and commence mobilisation for the 2027 elections.
