Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Yoruba nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has endorsed the 2027 House of Representatives ambition of public-interest lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, declaring that the Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency of Osun State needs a change in representation and describing the candidate as “a breath of fresh air.”
Igboho made his support known when Olajengbesi paid a visit to his residence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, according to a report by The Guardian. The endorsement was announced on Sunday, September 20, 2026, and represents a significant political boost for a candidate seeking to unseat a long-serving incumbent in one of Osun State’s most closely watched constituencies. Olajengbesi, who served as campaign spokesperson for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke, is the Accord Party candidate for the Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency. He is seeking to unseat Oluwole Oke of the All Progressives Congress, the incumbent lawmaker who has represented the constituency in the House of Representatives for multiple terms.
Igboho, the founder of the Irun Ekun security outfit with a presence in several South-West states, spoke in Yoruba during the visit and framed his endorsement around the theme of generational change. “It’s important to have a change to representation in the constituency. Pelumi is a breath of fresh air,” Igboho said. He traced his relationship with Olajengbesi to some of the most difficult moments of his life, recalling how the lawyer provided legal representation when the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari raided his Ibadan residence in July 2021, forcing him to flee to Benin Republic, where he was subsequently detained. “It shall be well with you, my lawyer. When things were very tough during the tenure of the then President Muhammadu Buhari and I was locked up in Benin Republic, you stayed with me and gave me your full support till I was released. You didn’t ask me for money,” Igboho said. He also recounted Olajengbesi’s intervention when he wanted to hold his mother’s burial and the government threatened to arrest him, saying the lawyer approached the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to allow the event to proceed. “Pelumi stood by me in a lot of ways without billing me. He also followed me to all the government offices I visited when I came back from exile to facilitate my reintegration,” Igboho said. He added that Olajengbesi supported him in the formation of the Irun Ekun Security Network. “I am supporting his ambition for Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency with everything that I have. You stood by me during my difficult season and I will rally support for your campaign to emerge victorious in the next election. However, I want to implore you to fulfill your campaign promises to the good people of Oriade-Obokun Federal Constituency.”
The endorsement adds Igboho’s voice to a growing list of supporters backing Olajengbesi’s candidacy. The Ijesa North Traditional Rulers’ Council in Oriade Local Government Area had earlier endorsed his 2027 bid, and the candidate has also received public support from Afrobeats star Davido. Olajengbesi turned 40 in August and previously contested the seat in 2019. He serves as convener of the Imole Grassroots Mobilisation Network in Osun State and has positioned his campaign around the argument that the constituency requires vibrant youth representation and a departure from what he describes as the recycling of old ideas. He has pledged to provide effective representation and pursue programmes that would promote development across the constituency if elected in the 2027 general elections.
The political context of the constituency makes the contest particularly significant. Oluwole Oke has held the Oriade/Obokun seat for years, and his tenure has become a central issue in the campaign. Olajengbesi, whose Accord Party won the Osun State governorship election in August 2026 with Governor Ademola Adeleke, has vowed to end what he describes as the incumbent’s long hold on the constituency. The Accord Party’s victory in the governorship election has reshaped the political landscape in Osun State, and Olajengbesi is seeking to build on that momentum. Igboho’s endorsement is particularly notable because of his influence in the South-West and his large following among Yoruba nation activists and community security networks.
Igboho, whose real name is Sunday Adeyemo, rose to national prominence as a campaigner for Yoruba self-determination and later as the founder of the Irun Ekun Security Network, a community-based initiative launched in August 2026 to complement government efforts against kidnapping and banditry in the South-West. The outfit has chapters in Ogun, Ondo and other states, and Igboho has called for discipline among its volunteers while warning them against confronting criminals without notifying security agencies. His endorsement of Olajengbesi is consistent with his recent political posture of supporting candidates he believes can deliver effective representation at the grassroots level.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled for January 16, with the presidential and National Assembly elections holding on that date, followed by the governorship and state assembly elections on February 6. The Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency contest will be one of the key races to watch in Osun State, particularly given the Accord Party’s strengthened position following the governorship election. For Olajengbesi, the endorsement by Igboho provides a valuable injection of support from a figure with significant grassroots influence in the South-West. For Igboho, the endorsement is a repayment of loyalty to a lawyer who stood by him during one of the most challenging periods of his life. As the campaign for the constituency seat intensifies, the question of whether Igboho’s support will translate into votes will be answered at the polls. What is certain is that the contest has acquired a new dimension, with a prominent Yoruba nation activist throwing his weight behind a candidate he describes as the fresh alternative the constituency needs.
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