Stakeholders in Ikere-Ekiti are calling for the Ekiti South Federal Constituency I House of Representatives seat to be allocated to Ikere Local Government in the 2027 general elections, citing 23 years of political marginalisation.
In a communiqué issued following a series of meetings with the Supreme Council of Ikere Youths (SCIY), the group argued that the constituency has failed to produce a representative from Ikere Local Government for over two decades.
The stakeholders noted that the seat has been held by the Ise/Orun and Ekiti South-West Local Government Areas throughout this period.
Signed by Otunba Sola Adewunmi, the Asoju Oba of Ikere Kingdom, Chief Akin Afuye, and 12 other prominent individuals, the statement frames the agitation as a matter of fairness, justice, and equity.
The group asserted that the move aligns with the principles of representative democracy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The communiqué emphasised that the aspiration reflects the collective will of Ikere indigenes both within Nigeria and in the diaspora.
To ensure this goal is met, the stakeholders appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji and leaders of all political parties in Ekiti State to prioritise candidates of Ikere extraction for the upcoming National Assembly elections.
While expressing resolve, the group also urged Ikere youths to remain peaceful and avoid being manipulated by unscrupulous individuals.
They expressed confidence that Governor Oyebanji and other state leaders would resolve the matter effectively.
