2027: OTOPE Takes ‘Ona-Ara Lokan’ Debate Beyond Politics, Says Egbeda/Ona-Ara Deserves Equitable Representation

The debate over who should represent the Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives in 2027 is increasingly shifting from political slogans to a more fundamental question: who can deliver meaningful representation and development for the people of both local government areas?

Speaking during a recent radio interview in Ibadan, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate for Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, Hon. Dr. Ezekiel Temitope Oladimeji (OTOPE), said the conversation should not be reduced to the popular “Ona-Ara Lokan” argument.

According to OTOPE, what should matter most is the capacity, competence and track record of the individual seeking the mandate, as well as the ability to attract federal projects and effectively represent the interests of constituents.

“It’s not really about Ona-Ara Lokan; it’s about who is capable of doing more for our people in Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency,” OTOPE said.

He argued that after years of what many residents perceive as uneven development and marginalisation in the sharing and attraction of available resources and opportunities between Egbeda and Ona-Ara, the constituency deserves a representative who will place the interests of the entire constituency above sectional considerations.

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OTOPE said residents are increasingly demanding results rather than promises, stressing that representation should translate into tangible development in communities across the two local government areas.

“Our people are tired of promises. They want results. They want someone who can attract projects, speak for them on the floor, and bring federal presence home,” he stated.

The APM candidate maintained that effective legislative representation should go beyond attending plenary sessions, arguing that a representative must be able to identify the needs of the people, pursue federal interventions, attract development projects and give the constituency a stronger voice at the national level.

For residents of Egbeda and Ona-Ara, the emerging conversation is therefore not simply about which local government should produce the next representative, but about whether the next representative can provide fairness, inclusion and measurable development across the entire federal constituency.

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For OTOPE, the message is clear: the mandate should be about the people—not merely about where the candidate comes from.