Ayete-born product development engineer, Engr. Saheed Adeyemi Oladele, popularly known as SAO, has declared his intention to contest the Ibarapa Central and North Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections. He pledged to pursue inclusive representation, uphold accountability, and deliver development-driven leadership.
Oladele, a Staff Electronic Hardware Development Engineer at Lockheed Martin Corporation (Missiles and Fire Control) in Texas and Chief Executive Officer of Tokal Technologies and Logistics, made the declaration on Friday at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Ayete, Ibarapa North Local Government Area.
Addressing party members, community leaders and youth representatives from across the constituency, Oladele said his decision to join the race was motivated by a desire to bring competence, equity and measurable outcomes to legislative representation in Ibarapa.
He acknowledged previous representations from the constituency but stressed the need for a more inclusive and balanced political arrangement that reflects the diversity of Ibarapa Central and North.
“For over a decade, our constituency has recorded progress, but there is room for improvement in how representation is shared and how development outcomes are delivered. My aspiration is not about division, but about inclusion, fairness and ensuring that every community benefits from effective federal representation,” he said.
Oladele added that leadership should be driven by competence, transparency and a clear understanding of the people’s needs, rather than sentiment.
He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Purdue University, Indiana. He also possesses a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti.
With over 15 years of professional experience, Oladele has worked with multinational corporations including Lockheed Martin, Toyota Motor and General Electric Home and Business Solutions.
At Lockheed Martin, he leads electronics sub-systems design and development, product quality management systems and reliability programmes within the Missiles and Fire Control line of business. Prior to his current role, he supported electronic reliability and quality programmes at Toyota Motor, focusing on new product development and process improvement initiatives. He began his engineering career at General Electric as an electronics design engineer and was part of the prestigious Edison Engineering Leadership Development Programme.
He holds several professional certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Certified Quality Engineer.
Oladele remains actively engaged in community development initiatives across Ibarapa through the Ganiyu Oladele Foundation, named in honour of his grandfather, Pa Ganiyu Onikola Oladele, a prominent political figure during the era of the late Chief Bola Ige.
Projects executed by the foundation include digital skills training for youths, scholarship support and international graduate programme mentorship, UTME sponsorship for indigent students, provision of laptops, construction of a motorised borehole in Gaaa Community, Ayete, support for youth sports initiatives and distribution of relief materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saheed Oladele outlined a seven-point, people-centred agenda, which includes leveraging the Electricity Act to attract private investment into distributed power systems, promoting sustainable agro-economic activities through collaboration with local and state governments, youth empowerment and digital transformation, improved access to quality education with emphasis on digital learning, integration of digital solutions into the agricultural value chain, enhanced security through surveillance and intelligence-driven response systems, and inclusive, transparent representation.
According to him, the agenda also includes plans to establish ICT training platforms, facilitate access to technology-driven opportunities, support international scholarship programmes for indigent students, and empower artisans and women across the constituency.
He further pledged to maintain constant communication with constituents and publish periodic reports on his legislative activities if elected.
Oladele said he is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reaffirmed his commitment to party discipline and internal democracy, noting that his aspiration aligns with the party’s development agenda at both state and national levels.
His campaign team added that consultations with party leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders across Ibarapa Central and North would continue in the coming months.
With the 2027 general election still some distance away, Oladele described his declaration as the beginning of a commitment to public service anchored on experience, equity and accountability, aimed at delivering tangible value to the people of Ibarapa.
