ABEOKUTA – The House of Representatives member, representing Yewa North/Imeko-Afon federal constituency, Hon. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI) has dismissed insinuation in some quarters that there was political hostility between him and the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial district, Senator Olamilekan Adeola Yayi over the 2027 governorship bid in Ogun state.
Isiaka refuted the claim on Sunday at a well attended media parley with selected journalists to give account of his stewardship in the last two years as a federal lawmaker at the green chamber.
Recall that both Senator Yayi and Hon. Isiaka are from the same senatorial district of Ogun West, with their followers at longer throat on social media following the installation of Hon. Isiaka as Seriki Adinni of Yewaland heightening political tension in the senatorial district.
Answering questions from journalists, GNI insisted that he maintain a cordial relationship with Senator Yayi and respect him as a ranking member of the National Assembly as Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation.
He expressed disappointment with allies of the senator who attacked his personality on social media.
GNI who spite supporters of Senator Yayi, said that the majority of the people within the senator’s camp who cannot win an election in their polling units are making mockery of him because of 2027 governorship election in the state.
According to the soft-spoken politician, he would not tolerate anyone rubbishing his achievements and investments on Ogun West quest to produce a governor in the last 20 years.
“There is no issue between us. Senator Yayi is a ranking member of the National Assembly. I’m a first-timer in the National Assembly. The rule, the principle, and the practice of the National Assembly even demand that you give some subtle kind of regard to ranking members. He is also chairman of appropriation in the National Assembly. That is a big deal. I do not have any issues with him. Even the invitation for the Seriki Adinni event, I personally took it to his office, personally. I didn’t send anybody. Ditto with the other two senators from Ogun state and a few others, and he recognized it when we met during the during the National Sports Festival. He didn’t come. He got in touch with me the Monday after, and we are sending messages on it. I do not have any issues. We do not have any issues at all.
“Of course, if I have issues at all, it will be with the people around him. Some of them cannot even win the polling booth in front of their house during election, and they are the ones that are going on. The major issue I have, are people who think that, because they have jump ship, then the end has come.
“And what you did not make, you cannot unmake. So if I have any issues, it will be with people around him. They are free to do anything they like, but they should not downgrade or erase 20 years of somebody’s life. Some of these things are organic. They are not paid for. Some of these things are organic. People that supported us so far are not paid for, they are organic, and I appreciate them for the show of love and support so far.
Asked to comment if he will bow to the party’s supremacy on the choice of governorship candidate, GNI said, he was not desperate to be the governor of Ogun State, but would allow providence to take its cause.
Highlighting his achievements at the National Assembly in the last two years, Hon. Isiaka said he had sponsored five bills, among which one has been passed while two others are at the second reading on the floor of the house, while the remaining two are listed for mentioning.
He posited that, he sponsored a bill for the establishment of an Agro-Processing & Export Free Trade Zone in his Constituency.
According to him, the bill has successfully passed third reading and is designed to unlock his constituency for agro-industrial investment, value-chain expansion, and regional export competitiveness.
He said a bill for the establishment of a Federal Institute of Technical and Vocational Education in Imeko, which has equally passed third reading was to the urgent national need for skilled manpower development and inclusive industrial growth across Nigeria’s rural communities.
“To strengthen teacher education and enhance institutional presence in our area, we sponsored the Amendment to the Federal College of Education Act, currently at second reading, to establish Federal College of Education (Technical) in Eggua.
“Furthermore, we have sponsored the Scholarship Regulation Bill, currently at second reading, to introduce accountability, merit-based selection, and equitable distribution into scholarship allocation mechanisms across Nigeria’s educational system. Recognizing the critical security challenges facing our communities, our Nigerian Neighbourhood Watch and Community Service Corps Bill seeks to institutionalize community policing frameworks and address escalating security concerns in rural and border communities.
“This legislation has passed first reading and represents our commitment to grassroots security architecture.”
He listed his empowerment programmes achievements to include; construction of fully equipped Computer-Based Testing Centre at Nazareth High School, Imeko-Afon; completion of comprehensive rehabilitation of classroom blocks across Ijale Ketu, Ijaka Oke, Iwoye, and Ayetoro; complete rehabilitation of the 1.58km Mowodani–Sawmill Road; Solar-powered boreholes to communities including Ibeku, Iboro, Alakuta, Oniji, and Ayetoro, among others.
