The African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate for the House of Representatives in the Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency of Ogun State, Hon. Rasak Olasumbo Eyiowuawi, has urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and steadfast, expressing optimism that the ADC will bring relief to the country in the coming year.
Eyiowuawi made the call in his Independence Day message to Nigerians to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the country’s independence.
He urged Nigerians to first give thanks to God for allowing them to witness another Independence Anniversary in peace and good health.
The ADC candidate expressed optimism that by the next Independence Anniversary, Nigeria would experience improvement, saying former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as “our man,” would be President.
According to him, Atiku had promised to address some of the challenges confronting the country if elected, including the removal of what he described as the additional burden created by the removal of fuel subsidy.
He also said the former Vice President had promised to address the country’s security challenges.
Eyiowuawi said, “I appeal to all Nigerians to have faith and remain steadfast. Very soon, things will return to normal.”
He also pledged that if elected, he would work to ensure that the interests of his constituents, particularly the people of Ogun State and his federal constituency, were adequately represented.
“We will ensure that the things that are due to our people and development projects are brought to them and executed for the people we represent,” he said.
Explaining his decision to contest the House of Representatives seat, Eyiowuawi said he believed his constituents deserved stronger representation.
He said, “As the Yoruba proverb says, when a horse stumbles, one can still ride it again. I love our people, and I believe those currently in office have not met the required standard because we have not seen what they have brought home, and we cannot see them at sittings.”
He added that his absence from the National Assembly would make it difficult for constituents to demand accountability or expect him to attract projects to the constituency.
According to him, this informed his decision to contest so that he could help attract the dividends of democracy and development projects to the people.
On his agenda for the constituency, Eyiowuawi said agriculture would be given priority, noting that a significant number of residents of Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda are farmers.
He said government programmes designed to support farmers should be properly implemented to improve their livelihoods, adding that food security remained critical to economic development.
The candidate also expressed concern over the state of roads in the constituency, citing the road around Elegga and the Adedotun-Lafenwa-Agogo route as examples of infrastructure requiring attention.
He said some of the roads were federal roads and should have been completed or rehabilitated.
Eyiowuawi also raised concerns about security in the communities, saying farmers and local vigilante groups had continued to play important roles in protecting their communities.
He pledged that if elected, he would support measures to strengthen community security and provide assistance to farmers and vigilante groups within the framework of the law.
