Member representing Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, Hon. Dr. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, has highlighted his achievements in healthcare, education, agriculture, employment and infrastructure, expressing confidence that more development projects would be delivered if he secures re-election in 2027.
Hon. Adepoju stated this on Saturday during an interview on Tiwa Lọṣèlú, a two-hour political programme on Lagelu FM 96.7, hosted by broadcaster Oluwasina Alayo.
The lawmaker, who reviewed his three-year legislative scorecard, also announced that approval had been secured for the replacement of all faulty electric poles, as facilitated through the 2025 budget for the constituency, just as the Oyo State Government had recently done. He disclosed that he had secured approval for 12 additional transformers to address electricity challenges in the constituency, promising that power would be restored within two months.
He commended Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for approving the re-electrification of Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, while acknowledging the contributions of Hon. Sola Adeleke and the Executive Chairman of Ibarapa North Local Government, Hon. Lateef Adebare Akorede, to the ongoing project.
Ibarapakan described the electricity problem as a longstanding challenge that had frustrated residents of the two local government areas for more than 10 years.
“I am promising you that within the next two months, there will be light,” he said.
Speaking on his achievements since assuming office in 2023, the lawmaker said his interventions had covered healthcare, agricultural support, education, job opportunities, youth empowerment and infrastructure.
On healthcare, the Ibarapa-born lawmaker said his office had organised free medical services by inviting doctors to attend to residents. He added that he had sponsored a bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre to improve access to healthcare in the constituency. He said the bill had been approved by both chambers of the National Assembly and was awaiting presidential assent.
“I am very hopeful that the President will put his assent to become a law before December. It is already before him and we are doing everything to achieve that,” he said.
On agriculture, Hon. Adepoju said fertilisers had been purchased to support farmers, while tractors had also been provided to assist their farming activities.
He added that plans were underway to subsidise the cost of ploughing farmers’ land by 50 per cent, noting that his office had maintained collaboration with farmers’ associations in the constituency.
The lawmaker also disclosed that Olympic-size lawn tennis and basketball courts had been constructed at the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora.
He identified employment facilitation as one of his major interventions, saying constituents close to 200 had secured job opportunities in critical government agencies and departments over the last three years.
The agencies and government parastatals in which the lawmaker said he had facilitated job opportunities for his constituents included the Bureau of Statistics, Immigration, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Television Authority, Nigeria Police Force, National Human Rights Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission, National Assembly of Nigeria, Federal Fire Service, National Identity Management Commission, Federal Medical Centre, Ministry of Education, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Beyond his constituency interventions, Ibarapakan highlighted motions he had moved and bills he had sponsored in the National Assembly, covering issues of national importance and development needs affecting his constituents.
He said his motions addressed the protection of Nigerian medical students in Ukraine, discrimination against Nigerians by foreign nationals and employers, the resumption of the abandoned Abeokuta–Igboora/Lanlate/Igangan transmission line project, and the recognition of the Igboora World Twins Festival and Idere Hills as world-class cultural heritage sites. He also called for the intervention of the House of Representatives over the alleged continued non-payment of entitlements to University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, employees for more than 33 months.
On legislation, the lawmaker disclosed that the Federal Medical Centres Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (HB.799), was awaiting presidential assent, while his bill seeking to establish the Institute of Economists of Nigeria had been passed. He added that bills seeking to upgrade the Federal College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, to a Federal University of Agriculture and Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Lanlate, to a Federal University of Education were at different stages of consideration. Other bills he sponsored included the Dishonoured Cheque Act Amendment Bill and a bill seeking to regulate casual labour in Nigeria.
He added that his empowerment programmes had included digital skills training, poultry farming and sensitisation against drug abuse.
The lawmaker also disclosed that his office registered more than 3,000 widows across the constituency in 2025 and extended social support to 2,000 of them. He added that plans were underway to update the database and capture additional beneficiaries.
He also announced that a mega empowerment programme was scheduled to hold within the next two weeks, adding that every category of community members would benefit from the initiative.
On education, the federal lawmaker said classroom blocks had been constructed across the five principal communities in the constituency. He also listed an ICT centre and first of its kind constituency library among the projects facilitated during his tenure.
When asked about the innovative One-Day House of Representatives initiative, which the anchor said had continued to attract strong public interest, Hon. Adepoju explained that the programme was designed to promote academic excellence and inspire students across the constituency to strive for greater achievements.
According to him, the first winner of the initiative, Hon. (Miss) Peace Oladosu, is now studying law at a university, while the winner of the second edition, Hon. (Miss) Suliat Haruna, who was unable to secure admission last year because of her age, has now gained admission to study nursing at a federal university.
Ibarapakan said his office had also facilitated road projects, solar streetlights, the reconstruction of a community town hall, a greenhouse, a solar-powered cold room, renovation of magistrates court, solar-powered boreholes, cassava processing plants, etc.
Explaining the rationale behind his political name, “Ibarapakan,” the lawmaker said his commitment to fairness and unity had earned him the name from his supporters. He said he believed that all communities in Ibarapa should benefit equitably from development initiatives.
“Whenever I am doing something, I always want it to be shared fairly. The unity of Ibarapa and what I have done to promote that is why my supporters gave me that name. It simply means that all of us from Ibarapa are one,” he said.
On his reelection bid, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Character said the achievements recorded so far had strengthened his belief that continuity would enable him to do more for the constituency.
“The reward for good job is more work. If you do your job very well, you have no fear. When we got to the National Assembly, what we have done for our people has made them happy. That is why we say that if we can spend more time, we can do more,” he said.
He added that reelection would position him to become a ranking member of the National Assembly, giving him greater opportunities to attract more development projects to the constituency.
Hon. Adepoju, however, declared his support for Governor Makinde for president, Hon. Abimbola Adekanmbi for governor of Oyo State and all candidates of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in Oyo State and beyond.
