Ijesa Group Knocks Recall Call Against Fadahunsi, Highlights Empowerment, Infrastructure Interventions

An Ijesa-based youth advocacy group, Ijesa Intellectuals, has rejected calls for the recall of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, describing the move as politically motivated and a reflection of inadequate understanding of the constitutional requirements for recalling a serving senator.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Ilesa by it’s spokesman, Yinka Aluko, the group said those behind the recall campaign were attempting to exploit political sentiments to undermine the senator’s standing in Osun East Senatorial District.

The group argued that the recall process was a constitutionally prescribed procedure involving substantial mobilisation of voters and verification by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather than a political petition.

It said, “An averagely educated Nigerian knows that recall process is not a joke like the jokers and their sponsors thought; however, it is important we educate them and alert Ijesas in particular about the desperation of some power mongers in the Senatorial District.”

Ijesa Intellectuals said the demand for Fadahunsi’s recall was particularly difficult to reconcile with what it described as the senator’s extensive record of constituency empowerment.

The group recalled that Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, had undertaken various empowerment programmes covering transportation, agriculture, vocational skills, small businesses and youth development.

Available reports show that Fadahunsi has distributed significant numbers of mini-buses, motorcycles,tricycles and other business-support equipment to constituents.

The group therefore described youth empowerment as one of the senator’s defining areas of intervention.

“Fadahunsi is known for his youth inclusiveness, and his empowerment is unmatched in the history of the zone,” the group said.

It further claimed that more than 200 people had benefited from the senator’s mini-bus, popularly known as Korope, empowerment scheme, while more than 500 others had received motorcycles,and thousands have been supported in their businesses and means of livelihoods.

The scale of the senator’s empowerment programmes has also been documented in other reports.In the last 7 years over 3000 constituents reportedly benefited from various types of empowerment programme with some going home with sewing machines, hairdressing equipment, barbing kits and Deep freezers,Generators and other artisan kits.

The group’s position also comes against the background of Fadahunsi’s earlier youth-focused initiatives.

The group said such initiatives demonstrated that Fadahunsi’s approach to representation had extended beyond legislative activities to practical interventions designed to help constituents become economically independent.

Ijesa Intellectuals also pointed to infrastructure interventions associated with the senator’s representation.

In May 2025, reports indicated that more than 370 kilometres of rural roads had been graded across the local government areas and area office that make up Osun East. The intervention was aimed at improving access to rural communities, facilitating movement of agricultural produce and supporting local economic activities.

Against this background, Ijesa Intellectuals said residents of the senatorial district were capable of assessing Fadahunsi’s performance without being influenced by what it called politically sponsored campaigns.

The group said, “The Ijesas know what Fadahunsi has done for the race long before coming into politics, and since his election, he has gotten over 200 Ijesa youths into the federal civil service.”

The group maintained that the senator’s record should be assessed on the basis of tangible interventions rather than political disagreements.

It also alleged that some individuals associated with the recall campaign had previously benefited from Fadahunsi’s empowerment programmes.

“It is so laughable that one of those who signed the purported letter has not only benefitted severally from Fadahunsi’s countless empowerment cash gifts and grants but also got a motorbike to assist in his chosen trade,”.

The organisation further accused the author of the purported petition of attempting to create a vacancy in the senatorial district because, in its view, they lacked the confidence to defeat Fadahunsi through a conventional electoral contest.

It said, “The illiterates who authored the misguided petition has also shown how fearful their paymaster is; they want an empty goal post, they know they can’t win a free and fair election.”

The group urged constituents not to allow the recall controversy to distract them from assessing the senator’s record and the wider political issues confronting Osun East.

“We like to advise youths who are intelligent to ignore these set of ignoramus who don’t know that they require over 300,000 signatures to effect a recall in Osun East Senatorial District,” the statement said.

The precise number of signatures required for any recall exercise is, however, determined by the constitutional threshold and the number of registered voters in the relevant constituency; the process also involves INEC verification and subsequent stages before a recall vote can take place.

It concluded by calling on Osun East residents to reject what it described as “political blackmail” and concentrate on issues that affect the welfare and development of the senatorial district.

“We therefore call on Osun East electorate to ignore these lazy bunch who want to expand the tentacles of their illiterate paymaster through the back door,” the group said.