FROM PROJECTS TO PEOPLE: HOW RT. HON. LEKE ABEJIDE IS REDEFINING REPRESENTATION IN YAGBA
…And Why Voices Are Growing Louder for a “Third Term Agenda”
By Ademola Sunday – Feature Desk
In Nigerian politics, “representation” is a word that is used often and delivered rarely. But in Yagba Federal Constituency of Kogi State, the story is changing.
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For the past 7 years, Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide has turned the office of a federal lawmaker from a title into a service desk. Roads are being graded. Schools are being renovated. Security is being funded. And people are getting direct support.
It is this track record that has sparked a new conversation across Yagba East, Yagba West, and Mopamuro: “Let Abejide continue. Let him finish the work.” The calls for his Third Term Agenda are no longer whispers. They are rallies, town hall resolutions, and traditional endorsements.
1. REDEFINING REPRESENTATION: BEYOND ABUJA TO THE VILLAGES
Traditional representation meant “go to Abuja, speak, and come back.” Hon. Abejide redefined it to mean “bring Abuja to Yagba.”
Security First:
Understanding that no development can happen in fear, he prioritized security. This includes the engagement of local hunters, ₦30 Million logistics support for operations in Yagbaland, and the distribution of motorcycles to security agencies across the constituency. For rural communities, response time to distress calls has dropped drastically.
Infrastructure That Connects: Construction of the 55km Igbagun–Iffe-Olukotun–Ijowa Road, roads in Isanlu, Oke-Ere and Odo-Ere, the 2km Takete drainage, and the 2km Ejuku drainage. This is representation that enters the sitting room, not just the palace
Each of the 71 communities in the Federal Constituency received ₦10 Million for rural infrastructure development support recently.
2. THE “ABEJIDE MODEL”: ACCESSIBLE, VISIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE
What makes the Abejide approach different is 3 things:
1. Accessibility: His constituency office is open. He holds town halls. He answers calls.
2. Visibility: Projects are not announced and abandoned. From boreholes to classrooms to roads, you can point to them.
3. Collaboration: He works with the state government, LG chairmen, traditional rulers, and youth groups. The result is that federal, state and local projects align instead of clash.
A traditional ruler in Mopamuro put it simply: “We used to only see our rep during elections. Now we see him when there is a problem and when there is progress.”
3. WHY THE CALLS FOR A THIRD TERM AGENDA?
In Nigeria, third term debates are usually about power. In Yagba, the conversation is about continuity.
Leaders and constituents argue that 8 years is not enough to complete the transformation already started. Key reasons driving the “Third Term Agenda” calls include:
1. Unfinished Projects: Major federal roads, healthcare centers, and constituency projects need follow-through to completion.
2. Institutional Memory: Having a ranking member in the House means Yagba has a voice in committees that control budget and oversight. Starting over means losing that leverage.
3. Consistency in Security: The security architecture he built with hunters, logistics, and community support needs sustained funding and leadership.
4. Trust: After years of broken promises, people have found a representative they trust to deliver. They don’t want to gamble.
At a recent meeting in Isanlu, youth and women leaders passed a resolution: “We are calling on Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide to answer the call of the people and contest again. Yagba needs continuity.”
4. CRITICS AND THE REALITY CHECK
No leader is without critics. Some say “let new faces come.” Others ask about succession planning.
But even critics admit one thing: the bar for representation in Yagba has been raised. The next person will be judged by boreholes delivered, roads graded, students sponsored, and widows supported. That is the new standard Abejide has set.
5. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DEMOCRACY IN YAGBA
Hon. Abejide’s tenure is proving a point: when representation is about service, not just position, democracy works.
People are beginning to demand results before loyalty. They are asking: “What have you done for our ward?” not just “Which party are you?” That is a healthy shift.
CONCLUSION: THE WORK IS NOT FINISHED
Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide has redefined what it means to represent Yagba. He moved the office from Abuja to the grassroots. He moved the focus from politics to projects, from speeches to solutions.
Now, as 2027 approaches, the people of Yagba Federal Constituency are speaking with one voice: “Don’t stop now. Finish the work.”
As the candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) Yagba Federal Constituency in the forthcoming 2027, General Elections, The definition of representation in Yagba has changed forever. And the people will no longer accept anything less.
Yagba is watching. Yagba is asking. Yagba wants continuity.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER 8TH AUGUST, 2026)
