Ayofe Abdullah
Leaders, elders, political stakeholders, youth groups and community representatives from Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA and Eredo LCDA on Thursday, 14th May, 2026, jointly demanded fairness and political inclusion in the representation of Epe Federal Constituency, calling on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA produce the next member of the House of Representatives in 2027.
The demand was made during a press conference held at Noforija Town Hall in Eredo LCDA, Lagos State, where apex leaders of Epe Constituency II accused the constituency’s political arrangement of sidelining Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA since the return of democracy in 1999.
Addressing journalists and party stakeholders, the leaders said their agitation was not borne out of bitterness or rebellion but rooted in the principles of justice, equity and democratic balance.
According to them, Epe Federal Constituency is made up of three major blocs, Epe Local Government (Epe Central), Eredo LCDA and Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA with an established understanding of rotational representation aimed at promoting peace and inclusiveness.
They, however, lamented that while Epe Central and Eredo LCDA had repeatedly occupied the House of Representatives seat, Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA had never produced a representative in over two decades of democratic governance.
The leaders recalled that late Hon. Stephen Banjo represented the constituency between 1999 and 2003, followed by late Hon. Tunde Salau from 2003 to 2007. Hon. Bola Gbabijo served from 2007 to 2011, while Hon. Lanre Odubote represented the constituency from 2011 to 2015.
They further noted that the current lawmaker, Hon. Tasir Wale Raji, had occupied the position continuously from 2015 and would complete twelve uninterrupted years by 2027 if the arrangement remained unchanged.
According to the stakeholders, by 2027, Epe Central would have controlled the seat for 20 out of 28 democratic years, Eredo LCDA for eight years, while Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA would still have no representation.
The group stressed that their demand was not targeted at any individual but was a legitimate call for inclusion and equal political opportunity. “No democracy can thrive sustainably where one bloc continuously dominates while another remains perpetually excluded,” the leaders declared.
They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC national leadership, members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Lagos APC leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders across Epe Division to intervene and support the quest for justice for Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA.
The stakeholders maintained that allowing Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA to produce the next House of Representatives member in 2027 would strengthen unity, deepen democratic participation and reinforce confidence in the APC as a party committed to fairness and inclusion.
They concluded the conference with a strong declaration that “2027 must mark the beginning of inclusion for Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA,” insisting that the time had come for justice, fairness and equity to prevail in Epe Federal Constituency.