The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, Hon. Olumide Akintunde Jones, has pledged to prioritise road infrastructure, education, healthcare, sports and youth development if elected.
Jones made the commitment during an interview on Splash FM, Abeokuta, where he outlined his plans for improving the welfare and development of constituents.
He said his administration would focus on providing and rehabilitating roads, improving schools and supporting healthcare centres, stressing that effective representation must translate into tangible development for the people.
“We want to do roads, schools and health centres, and we must do it,” he said, adding that laws made by legislators should be targeted at addressing the challenges confronting citizens and improving the country.
Jones also urged residents to communicate their challenges to elected representatives, noting that politicians could not identify all the problems in their constituencies without adequate input from the people.
According to him, the proposed Road Appropriation Bill is important to addressing the country’s infrastructure deficit, but many legislators have not given adequate attention to the issue.
He explained that the primary responsibility of lawmakers was to make life easier for citizens through effective legislation and representation. He further pledged to pursue improvements in roads, sports, education, youth development and women empowerment.
The PDP candidate called on voters to support the party, arguing that the opposition had little or nothing new to offer the people.
Jones, however, opposed any proposal to merge the House of Representatives with the State House of Assembly, stressing that the two legislative institutions should remain separate to maintain effective checks and balances.
He also challenged citizens to question politicians about the sources and use of public funds, particularly those who, according to him, had no alternative professional career or “second address” outside politics.
Jones alleged that funds meant for development were sometimes diverted into distributing food items such as rice to citizens, arguing that such practices did not provide sustainable solutions to poverty and underdevelopment.
He maintained that politicians should focus on policies and projects capable of improving the lives of the people rather than relying on vote-buying.
“We don’t need to buy votes. The suffering of the people is enough,” he said.
