2027: Why I’m Seeking Another Mandate For House Of Reps Seat - APC Rep. Candidate, Oluga
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, has said her decision to seek another term in the House of Representatives is driven by the need to consolidate on the interventions recorded during her previous tenure and pursue a more structured development agenda for the constituency. Oluga, who represented the constituency in the 9th National Assembly, said her legislative interventions focused on education, infrastructure, healthcare, electricity, agriculture, youth and women empowerment, among others.
In this interview with Ayobami Agboola, she reflects on her previous tenure, identifies the major challenges confronting the constituency and outlines her plans for job creation, agricultural development, infrastructure, women and youth empowerment, as well as stronger engagement with constituents if given another mandate. She also speaks on the bills and motions she sponsored in the National Assembly, lessons learnt from her previous tenure and the specific commitments she wants constituents to hold her accountable for if elected in 2027.
Journalist : You have represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency before. What do you consider your major achievements during your previous tenure, and what measurable impact did they have on the people?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: My tenure in the 9th National Assembly was guided by a simple principle: representation must translate into tangible benefits for the people. I therefore focused on education, infrastructure, healthcare, electricity, security, youth and women empowerment, as well as legislative interventions on issues affecting our people and the country generally.
In education, we facilitated the construction and renovation of classrooms in communities across the three local government areas. We also facilitated an ICT centre at Gbongan Community High School equipped with more than 100 desktop computers, supported schools with instructional and science materials, and organised educational programmes for students.
In infrastructure, we facilitated road, drainage and bridge interventions, including the Adifa Bridge in Apomu and the Oke-Oje Bridge in Gbongan. We also facilitated solar-powered boreholes and more than 300 solar streetlights across the constituency.
In electricity, I facilitated transformers for communities in Gbongan and Ago-Owu Farm Settlement and raised the issue of a 132/133 KVA electricity substation for the constituency on the floor of the House. That particular motion is documented in the National Assembly proceedings.
Healthcare interventions included the renovation of a primary health centre, distribution of drugs and a dental outreach programme that benefited more than 500 constituents, according to our constituency record.
On empowerment, we supported students, young people, women, entrepreneurs, farmers and persons with disabilities through grants, skills acquisition, equipment and other interventions.
But beyond the number of projects, I measure impact by the people who can now learn in better environments, communities that have access to infrastructure, entrepreneurs who received support to start or expand their businesses, and young people who acquired skills and opportunities. There is always more to do, but I am proud that our representation left a visible footprint across Ayedaade, Irewole and Isokan.
Journalist: Looking back at your previous tenure, are there areas where you believe you could have done better? What lessons have you learnt that would shape your approach if elected again?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: Yes. No public servant should look back at four years of service and conclude that everything was perfect. One lesson I learnt is that constituency representation must be accompanied by an even stronger mechanism for continuous consultation. The needs of communities change, and the representative must constantly return to the people, listen and adjust priorities.
I also learnt that the greatest challenge is not merely identifying projects but ensuring that interventions are properly targeted, completed, maintained and ultimately produce sustainable economic value.
If given another opportunity, I would place even greater emphasis on projects that create long-term economic capacity agriculture, skills acquisition, small businesses, digital opportunities, electricity, roads and access to markets. I would also strengthen the feedback mechanism between my office and the communities. Representation should not be a four-year conversation that begins during an election and ends after voting.
Journalist: what are the three most pressing problems currently confronting the people of Ayedaade, Irewole and Isokan, and what specific legislative or federal interventions would you pursue to address them?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: I would identify infrastructure and electricity, economic opportunities and employment, and access to quality social services as three major areas requiring urgent attention.
First is infrastructure, particularly roads, electricity and water. Rural communities cannot develop economically when farmers cannot move their produce efficiently and businesses depend on electricity. I would continue to pursue federal road interventions, rural electrification, transformers, substations, solar-powered infrastructure and water projects.
Second is economic opportunity. Our young people need more than political promises. They need skills, access to finance, technology, markets and opportunities to become employers themselves. I would pursue partnerships with relevant federal agencies and financial institutions for agricultural value chains, vocational training, digital skills and small-business financing.
Third is education and healthcare. We must continue improving schools and primary healthcare centres while advocating federal intervention where state or local resources alone are insufficient.
My approach would be to combine legislation, federal budgetary intervention, oversight and constituency projects. A federal legislator cannot personally solve every problem, but a serious representative can use the powers of legislation, advocacy, oversight and budget facilitation to attract government attention to those problems.
Youth unemployment remains a major concern across the country. What concrete programmes or initiatives do you intend to pursue to create employment, skills and business opportunities for young people in the constituency?
Our young people are not lacking in ability; many are lacking in opportunity.
During my previous tenure, we supported youth and entrepreneurship programmes, including skills training and startup assistance. We also supported young people with laptops and grants and facilitated agricultural-related training.
Going forward, I want to move beyond occasional empowerment programmes towards a more structured youth economic development model.
That means identifying young people according to their areas of interest technology, agriculture, fashion, mechanics, construction, food processing, creative industries and other trades and connecting them with training, equipment, finance and markets.
I also want to encourage digital employment. A young person sitting in Gbongan, Ikire, Apomu or any other community should be able to work for a client in Lagos, Abuja or even outside Nigeria if that person has the appropriate skills and internet access.
I would therefore pursue partnerships involving relevant federal agencies, training institutions, financial institutions and private-sector organisations.
Our objective should not simply be to distribute items. The objective should be to create sustainable livelihoods.
Journalist: Agriculture is a major economic activity in the constituency. What is your plan for helping farmers gain better access to inputs, credit, modern technology, processing facilities and markets?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: Agriculture must be treated as a business and not merely as subsistence.
Our constituency has enormous agricultural potential, but farmers need an entire value chain: access to inputs, affordable credit, modern equipment, extension services, storage, processing and reliable markets.
During my previous tenure, we supported agricultural training, including training in fish processing and post-harvest loss prevention, and supported young people involved in agricultural enterprises.
If elected again, I would advocate stronger access to federal agricultural programmes for our farmers and encourage cooperative models through which farmers can access equipment, finance and markets collectively.
We must also concentrate on processing. It is not enough to produce cassava, palm produce, cocoa, maize, fish or livestock and then sell them as raw products. Processing creates more employment and retains more value within our communities.
I would therefore prioritise agricultural value-chain development from production to processing, packaging, transportation and marketing.
Women constitute a significant part of the constituency’s economic and social life. What specific policies, legislation or empowerment programmes would you pursue to improve women’s economic opportunities and participation in development?
Women are central to the economic life of our constituency, particularly in trading, agriculture, small businesses and community development.
My commitment to women is also reflected in my legislative record. During the 9th Assembly, I sponsored the Women’s Representation in Legislative Houses Bill and participated in parliamentary advocacy for greater representation of women in governance. In July 2019, for example, the House adopted amendments I proposed calling for increased appointment of women at various levels of government.
At the constituency level, we also supported market women with grants and participated in micro-enterprise support initiatives.
Going forward, I want women’s empowerment to focus increasingly on sustainable enterprise. That means access to affordable credit, business training, digital skills, cooperative development, agricultural processing and market access.
I also believe that women must not merely be beneficiaries of development; they must be participants in decision-making.
Journalist: As a former member of the House of Representatives, what specific bills, motions or policy initiatives from your previous tenure do you believe made the greatest difference, and are there any you intend to revisit or strengthen?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: During the 9th Assembly, I sponsored nine bills covering areas including electoral reform, basic education, women’s representation, price control, intellectual property, leadership and entrepreneurship, and the proposed establishment of the Federal College of Education, Gbongan.
Among them was the Federal College of Education, Gbongan (Establishment) Bill, which was particularly important from a constituency perspective because of the potential educational and economic value of such an institution to our people.
I also sponsored the Women’s Representation in Legislative Houses Bill, the Compulsory Universal Basic Education Act (Amendment) Bill, the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, and the Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Governance Bill, among others.
On motions, I raised issues including the need for improved electricity infrastructure in our constituency, firefighting response stations on federal highways, attacks on INEC facilities, cultism, women’s participation in governance, access to basic education and population growth.
If I return to the National Assembly, I will not simply repeat old proposals. I will review them in the light of current realities and strengthen those that remain relevant.
Infrastructure remains a major concern in many rural communities. If elected, which federal projects would you prioritise for Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan, particularly in roads, electricity, water, healthcare and education?
My priorities would be projects that unlock economic activity. For roads, I would prioritise critical rural and inter-community roads that connect farmers to markets and communities to major transport routes.
For electricity, I would continue pursuing stronger grid infrastructure, transformers, substations and renewable-energy solutions, particularly for underserved communities.
For water, we need more solar-powered boreholes and reliable community water systems.
In healthcare, I would prioritise upgrading primary healthcare centres, provision of essential equipment and medicines, and improved access to preventive healthcare.
In education, I would continue supporting classroom construction and renovation, ICT facilities, science laboratories, instructional materials and initiatives that improve learning outcomes.
My philosophy is that infrastructure should not be distributed merely for political visibility. It should be located where it can solve an identifiable problem and produce measurable benefit.
Journalist: Many constituents often complain that elected representatives become less accessible after elections. What mechanisms will you put in place to ensure regular consultation, constituency feedback and transparency throughout your tenure?
Hon. Taiwo Oluga: Accessibility is fundamental to representation. If elected, I intend to institutionalise regular constituency consultations rather than waiting until election periods. There should be scheduled engagements with traditional leaders, community associations, youth groups, women, farmers, religious organisations, professionals and other stakeholders.
I would also strengthen constituency liaison structures so that people do not have to travel to Abuja before they can communicate a problem to the representative. There should be a clear channel for petitions, requests and feedback, including digital communication where appropriate.
I also believe in reporting back to the people. Constituents have a right to know the bills their representative is sponsoring, the motions being raised, the federal projects being pursued and the status of constituency interventions. Ultimately, representation is a contract of trust. The representative must be prepared to return to the people and give an account of his or her stewardship.
Finally, why should the people of Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan consider giving you another mandate, and what specific commitments should they hold you accountable for at the end of four years?
I believe the people should make their decision based on record, capacity, character and the programmes presented to them.
I am not asking anyone to forget the past. I am asking them to examine what we accomplished during the 9th Assembly, what we learnt, what remains unfinished and what we are proposing to do differently. If given another opportunity, I want the people to hold me accountable for five broad commitments: First, stronger advocacy for roads, electricity, water and other critical infrastructure. Second, a more structured youth employment and entrepreneurship programme focused on skills, technology, agriculture and small businesses. Third, stronger support for women, farmers and vulnerable groups. Fourth, continued investment in education and primary healthcare. Fifth, regular consultation and transparent reporting to constituents.
At the end of four years, I do not want my accountability to be measured by the number of promises I made during a campaign. I want it measured by the number of communities reached, opportunities created, projects facilitated, legislative interventions pursued and lives positively affected.
I have had the privilege of representing Ayedaade, Irewole and Isokan before. That experience has given me a deeper understanding of the constituency and its needs.
My message to the people is therefore simple: the work is not finished. There is more to do, and I am prepared to bring the experience of the past together with the lessons we have learnt to pursue a stronger and more inclusive development agenda for our people.
Just as our campaign slogan indicates; #ITESIWAJU
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2027: Why I’m Seeking Another Mandate For House Of Reps Seat - APC Rep. Candidate, Oluga
JOY CECILIA
#CREDIT:City Mirror News
