OYO LG POLL: My Statement of Intention — Kayode Ejidiran, Akinyele APC Chairmanship Aspirant

After extensive consultations, meetings, thoughts, and prayers from family, religious and political leaders, youths and student groups, I hereby offer myself and my services to my great Local government as an aspirant for Chairman. I have come to the point of decision, and this is my first step towards taking the right action for the development of my beloved Akinyele local government.

For a very long time, I have been quiet about my desire to get into politics because I didn’t want to involve myself in any controversial situation. But season after season, we keep getting the short end of the stick in the social pact with our leaders.

Within the borderlands of Akinyele Local Government, the glaring mismatch between our potentials and our achievements has become for many a frustrating puzzle; for others it is a topic for debate; and yet for another group, it is doomsday lament. But with the strength of conviction and positivity which enamels our sense of patriotism towards Nigeria and all our great people, I consider it a golden opportunity and a bittersweet chance to manifest our effrontery, activate our innovative instinct, showcase our character and turn our dreams and that of our founding fathers into reality.

My story is similar to that of so many underprivileged Nigerians of my generation – Born and wrapped with the shawls of penury and despair and aware of the crushing realities of my station darting at my sight, I ploughed through childhood with my dreams and aspirations for comfort, defied the stratification of class to join my voices with the few straining against injustice and inequality in the realms of youths and politics. I have never since looked back nor compromised on the ideals and principles that have shaped my interaction with my immediate and remote world. And I am happy about it.

Fellow Youths, the task before us is daunting but with manifold possibilities. The time has never been more right for youths to rise to the responsibility of leadership, taking off the cloak of passive participation, with mind and effort in the creative process of redefining the political process for a better future with hope and confidence.

For if the truth must be told to the candid world, let’s make no mistake of the sordid situation in which we find ourselves. Our greatest opposition comes from within and not without. There are within us those perennially wired by society to be cynics, to have doubts and cast these unsubstantiated doubts about.

Myriads of groups and platforms in different nomenclatures have bracingly and clandestinely constituted themselves into principalities of ready foot soldiers to serve the ignoble interest of serially recycled politicians within the polity keen on stemming the rise of a youth-drive political movement and awakening to challenge the lethargy of the political status quo.

This is why we must rally together, holstering our banners high for our strength is as much in our resolve as in the strength of our unity. We will be tried by the tempest of institutionalized prejudice, disbelief and injustice that has become a constant feature of the Nigerian political system but must forge on relentless, and most importantly together.

It is time to channel exuberance into more creative ventures, vigor into production and clear minded thinking into injecting new ideas and ideals into the Nigerian political space.

There may be those moments when we are tempted to let go of our resolve but only then, at such times can we measure our mettle for the even more demanding role of leadership ahead. I want to be part of a new Nigeria, a rejuvenated Oyo State, a blossoming people of Akinyele Local Government where service and merit is the watchword of our engagement.

Akinyele Local Government can be great again. With your support and prayers, we will turn this local government for good.