From Kayemo News
The lawmaker representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II in the House of Representatives, Akinlayo Kolawole, has dismissed rumours suggesting that a candidate has been endorsed to replace him ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that his re-election bid remains firmly on course.
Kolawole made the clarification in Ado-Ekiti while speaking at the April Congress edition of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, where he addressed concerns over alleged political alignments within his constituency.
The federal lawmaker described the claims of endorsement as baseless and misleading, stressing that no individual has been officially backed by stakeholders or the people of the constituency.
Kolawole expressed strong confidence in his chances at the polls, citing his accessibility and rapport with constituents as key strengths that would secure his return to the National Assembly.
He further disclosed that he has commenced steps toward formalising his re-election bid, noting that he is already engaging with the National Assembly Secretariat in Abuja to obtain his nomination form.
Speaking on his ordeal in joining politics, he explained that the realities of poverty and limited opportunities in rural communities motivated him to seek elective office, rather than remain on the sidelines.
According to him, governance should be about impact, not titles, stressing that his mandate is to bring federal presence closer to his constituents.
Hon. Akinlayo listed his achievements to include multiple empowerment programmes targeted at artisans, traders and small-scale business owners across the constituency, education support for students, employment of youths, electrification projects, provision of basic amenities just to mention but a few.
He disclosed that hundreds of youths and women have benefitted from skills acquisition training, start-up grants and distribution of working tools to enhance self-reliance.
On education, the lawmaker said he instituted a bursary scheme for indigent students in tertiary institutions, while also sponsoring JAMB registration for hundreds of secondary school students annually.
He added that he has facilitated inter-community infrastructure projects, including grading of rural roads, provision of solar-powered streetlights and renovation of classroom blocks across the three local government areas in his constituency.
His words, “In my constituency, nobody has been endorsed. You cannot endorse someone who is not connected to the people. There are no endorsements anywhere—only rumours. I am confident of victory. I am accessible, the people love me and I love them.
“I joined politics in 2016. I joined the KJF team and contested in 2019 but was not given the ticket. In 2023, I contested again and to the glory of God, I emerged.
“I have sponsored two establishment bills, including one for the creation of a Federal School of Nursing in Ikosu-Ekiti. Unfortunately, there is a presidential ban affecting such institutions for seven years, but we will contest this, as it should not affect schools related to health and agriculture. Before the year runs out, we expect progress on this.
“We have also carried out critical interventions in other sectors, such as in Ora. In Otun community, which was thrown into darkness for over a year, I swung into action to ensure electricity was restored.
“We have provided bursaries for students in higher institutions and procured JAMB forms. We sent letters to schools to compile names of students from my constituency. I also encouraged students with a 3.5 CGPA to have an upper hand in the bursary scheme.
“Every year, we obtain JAMB forms for students and train them at CBT centres for about three months to significantly improve their performance. I also reward those who score above 300 in the JAMB examination.
“For the first time in the history of my constituency, I appointed a Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs. We give stipends to traditional stakeholders so they can have a sense of belonging and also benefit from the dividends of democracy, because politics should be about the people, not about me alone.
“We have carried out empowerment programmes and will soon organise a mega empowerment programme, one that has not been seen in Ekiti where we will distribute cars and other items.
“I have also facilitated employment and empowerment opportunities for many youths in my constituency. This is something I do regularly, but I do not publicise it because it is what I was elected to do. If you are helping people and posting it online, I see that as a poverty mentality.
“What prompted me to go into politics is service to the people. I did not join politics to enrich myself.
“At a time when insecurity was rampant in my community, especially in Ikun and surrounding areas, I convened a security summit with traditional rulers. Together, we developed strategies to tackle insecurity, including procuring motorcycles for local vigilantes.
“One of our major challenges is that we are not effectively utilising local hunters. We addressed this by recruiting more indigenous hunters to strengthen community security.
“I currently have two new bills in progress. One concerns the NYSC scheme, which, in my view, is not adding sufficient value to our youths. I am coming up with some reviews.
“The second bill addresses employment. After national service, there should not be an overdependence on white-collar jobs. Not all graduates will secure such jobs, so we must create alternative models to ensure youths are gainfully engaged”.