“Otoge Movement” Against Rep Member Wole Oke’s 6th Gains Momentum

The pressure on six-term lawmaker Wole Oke, the member representing Obokun–Oriade Federal Constituency, is mounting.

At the forefront of the campaign is Pelumi Olajengbesi, a lawyer and PDP aspirant for the same seat, who is publicly airing what he describes as raw truths about Oke’s performance and decade-long incumbency.

Olajengbesi has steadily ramped up his messaging, targeting Oke’s defection earlier this year from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as symptomatic of a “political exit strategy” that betrays the constituency’s interests.

He questions how Oke justifies 20 years in the National Assembly with “negligible impact”, and now claims new influence only because an election is looming.

In one pointed message, Olajengbesi accuses Oke of turning his office into a personal revenue stream rather than a service centre.

He writes: “The only credibility Wole Oke brings to the table is money and but truly, Wole Oke cannot even spend the money to help people that should be helped.”

The lawyer also highlights that a recent promise of military fortifications in the constituency was “laughable” — a media claim by Oke he says reflects desperation, not delivery.

Beyond the critique of performance, Olajengbesi is publishing internal leaks said to originate from trusted aides of Oke. Among the messages surfaced: aides allegedly discussing how Oke’s influence within the APC is limited, recounting failed attempts to hold stakeholders’ meetings and being blocked from key party forums.

Others are voice messages to Oke playing years of allegedly sidelining them from achieving much, despite devotion to his cause.

One post by Olajengbesi reads, “Wole Oke was denied access to a key Osun APC stakeholders meeting … I cannot but laugh.”

The strategy appears two-fold: first, to undermine Oke’s claim to legitimacy as a political operator in his constituency; second, to position Olajengbesi as the credible alternative within the PDP. Olajengbesi explicitly asserts his intent to contest the seat and insists that Oke’s defection has left him politically homeless.

For his part, Oke defended his decision to mobilise under the APC in a recent interview, citing the national party’s leadership and a desire to deliver to his constituency: “My decision to leave PDP was inspired … by admiration for President Bola Tinubu’s pragmatic and progressive leadership style.”

Within PDP circles, the defection has triggered institutional responses, and galvanised opposition against Oke.

The PDP filed a suit seeking to declare Oke’s legislative seat vacant under Section 68 of the Constitution. While Olajengbesn is spearheading a campaign that Oke can no longer rely on party backing and must contend with both grassroots rejection and institutional consequences.

In the coming months, the “Otoge” movement — the colloquial term being used locally to capture the push for change — is expected to mobilise more broadly across wards in Obokun and Oriade. Olajengbesi has intimated that he will leverage the movement’s energy to weave in youth groups, community associations and party stalwarts disenchanted with Oke’s long incumbency.

What happens next will likely hinge on three variables: whether Oke can deliver a tangible rebound in constituency politics under the APC banner, whether Olajengbesi can consolidate an alternative coalition within the PDP, and whether the legal process against Oke materially disrupts his position.

For voters in the constituency, the loud messaging and leaks may be less about personality and more about accountability after two decades in office.

As Olajengbesi puts it: “The people of Obokun–Oriade now demand performance, not drama; accountability, not entitlement.” The movement appears to be taking off in earnest.