04/06/2025
Akoko-Edo House of Representative: Possible APC Aspirants and the Gathering Crowd
By Elempe Dele
Its neither too close to the 2027 elections nor too far off. Politicians and their supporters have already started manourvering on how they can get their party tickets to run for elections. Its not unusual, its an election cycle so strategizing starts now.
In Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency particularly, the electioneering preoccupation is just kicking off on social media where some members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, are sharing posters of possible aspirants who could replace Rt. Hon. Peter Akpatason in the House of Representative when his tenure will come to an end by 2027.
Akpatason, ward 9 constituency 1, was a Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria staff before he delved into politics in 2011. He was also the former President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers(NUPENG) between 2001 and 2009.
In 2011, Akpatason contested and won election as a member representing Akoko Edo Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives. 2019 - 2023, he served as Deputy Majority Leader of the 9th Assembly.
In 2027, Akpatason's reign in the Federal House of Represenatives will come to an end with supporters, as well as critics, analysing differently his four term tenure in the Green Chambers especially on interventions in Akoko-Edo.
There are several possible APC members who will run for the position:
1. Hon. Bankole Balogun Esq
Hon. (Barr) Oladele Bankole-Balogun, ward 1, constituency 2, was born in 1961 into the illustrious family of the Late Chief Bankole Balogun of Igarra Akoko-Edo, Edo State. He obtained his education in University of Ibadan (BSc Political Science 1984); University of London (LLB Hons Law); College of Law, Store Street, London (Postgraduate Diploma Law) He is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA; International Bar Association and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
Professionally, Hon. Bankole-Balogun has worked in different companies including Cadbury Nigeria Plc (1985-1989); Pfizer UK Sandwich Kent (1989-1994); Alphabet Group UK; Chairman Alphabet House Ltd; Director/Board Member, Allen Angus Resources Ltd; Chairman, Barking and Havering Hospital Trust Appointments Board; Principal Partner, Oladele Bankole-Balogun & Co.
Oladele was appointed Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission (2012-2015) representing Edo State. He has also contested elections as candidate for the House of Representatives Elections in Akoko Edo Federal Constituency and was recently a Member of APC Campaign Council for 2024 Governorship elections in Edo State. He is presently the Executive Chairman, Edo Inland Revenue Service(EIRS)
Bankole is a well known socialite and a very enlightened mind who will surely, without doubt, run under the platform of APC.
2. Mr. Taiwo Akerele
Taiwo Akerele recently served in the Assets Verification Committee and Transition Committee of the Senator Monday Okpebholo government. A renowned policy economist and long time consultant to the World Bank. He was Chief of Staff to Edo state governor between 2016-2020. A lover of Akoko-Edo Local Government with so much development projects to his credit when he was in government.
Akerele previously served as Senior Policy Economist in the Adams Oshiomhole's government and a member of the Economic Team. He is Executive Director of a leading Nigerian policy think tank - Policy House Int'l, with accreditation to the IMF Civil Society Policy Forum.
Akerele schooled in Ibadan, Benin, Cape Town, Boston, Ottawa and Washington DC.
Although Taiwo is very capable to run for the House of Representatives, no information concerning his willingness is on public domain for now. He is a conservative in his political approach and might want to keep his intentions under wrap until sometime later in 2026 when the heat of campaigns are in their feverish heights.
3. Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto
Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto is from the Adjoto Royal Family of Ikakumoh in Akoko-Edo. He is a graduate of Usman Dan Fodio University where he bagged a degree in Geography.
Adjoto joined politics in 2007 under the then Action Congress, AC, which metamorphosized into Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), and later APC.
Adjoto won a rerun election in 2009 and secured a reelection in 2015 as member representing Akoko-Edo constituency 1, ward 6, in the Edo State House of Assembly.
As a state lawmaker, Adjoto served in several committees which included committees on sports, youth, information, works and health. He was also elected the Deputy Chief Whip and would later become the Chief Whip. On the 14th of October, 2017, he was elevated to the position of Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, the first person from Akoko-Edo to have held such a position, and until date.
4. Dr. Adetutu Owolabi
The Ikiran Ile born politician is the only lady that has shown visible interest in becoming the heir to the position Rt. Hon. Akpatason is presently occupying.
She started her educational journey from Ethiope Primary School in Delta State, and ICE Secondary School in the same town.
Adetutu has a Doctorate Degree in Nursing Practice from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, according to her biographer. She also has a Master's Degree in Public Health from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science. It is also on record, according to her media team, that she is a philanthropist, actively engaged in improving lives of those who need some sort of support. She is from ward 4, constituency 1.
5. Hon. Paul Johnson Afegase
Hon. Paul Johnson Afegase is an international business man and philantropist from ward 7, constituency 1.
Afegase is well known in Akoko-Edo especially among APC members having contested keenly the last APC primaries with Rt.Hon. Peter Akpatason.
For a while now, his media aides have been very busy on social media platforms by reeling his vision and mission for Akoko-Edo. It is said that he has been spearheading community projects from his personal resources.
What is at Stake?
Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, LGA, is one of the most marginalized local government areas in Edo State and Nigeria. It lacks necessary infrastructures that could spur development as human resource is never in want. Too many young people in the LGA are losing faith in politics and political office holders as they see them as opportunists who routinely take advantages of their votes every election circles to enrich themselves. Also surrounded by political division, distrust, and polarization, too many young people are losing confidence that politics and politicians can help change the collective misfortune the LGA finds itself.
In 2027, there must be paradigm shift; the entire people of Akoko-Edo must be the focus in the politics irrespective of the ward or constituency the eventual flagbearer comes from. Politicians must start to build the people's faith in the system by using their offices to address issues that too complex for the people to handle.
There must be deliberate investment in education, agriculture, infrastructures, healthcare and security. The era of paying lip service to these critical issues should be a thing of the past. Specific interventional plan must be tabled by aspirants before the election, and accountability to the people at intervals must be carried out after elections.
In Akoko-Edo, we are mostly into agriculture but we are not in the dark age there. Aspirants will be made to go through public debate for them to be able to accentuate their plans for the entire people irrespective of their political leanings when the time comes. The era of digital highfalutin propaganda using posters should be discouraged and totally abandoned, it's time to work for the common good of the majority of the people.
Elempe Dele is a journalist, he wrote from Okpe, Akoko-Edo.
