Reactions have continued to trail the pledge of the Executive Chairman of Ibarapa Central Local Government, Hon. Sola Adeleke, on the lack of electricity supply in the council areas, vowing to make blackout a thing of the past.
Corefront News reports that Adeleke announced the council’s plans to end the prolonged blackout in the local government areas, disclosing that the council under his watch has secured approval to rehabilitate the electricity line from Eruwa to Idere.
He made the announcement while delivering his welcome address at the grand finale of the 2026 Igboora World Twins Festival held last Saturday, saying that efforts were underway to address the longstanding electricity challenges.
Adeleke described the approval as a significant step toward restoring power to the communities that make up the local government — Igboora and Idere — while thanking the Oyo State Government for its intervention.
He added that the development was part of the council’s commitment to improving infrastructure and creating an enabling environment for residents and businesses.
Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North constituency has endured prolonged electricity outages for over 10 years, leaving the people of the constituency which comprises five communities — Igboora, Idere, Ayete, Tapa and Igangan — in perpetual darkness with no hope of ending date.
Meanwhile, members of the political class have repeatedly promised to address the challenges with a view to ending the longstanding blackout, but all in futility, as these promises have yet to produce a lasting solution.
Former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu vowed to proffer a lasting solution to the challenges of no electricity supply in the Ibarapa region. He made the promise in October 2025 during his consultation meeting with stakeholders in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government.
Adelabu said residents of Ibarapa would soon begin to enjoy electricity supply because the Ministry of Power had secured fund for the completion of three power substations in the region.
The former power minister said: “We’ve identified and diagnosed the issue of electricity in Ibarapa. Previously, the challenge was scarce resources, but we have now secured the release of sufficient funds to complete the substation in Ibarapa and upgrade the existing infrastructure. As you can see, we have started delivering transformers as part of our efforts. Similarly, we’ve begun lighting up roadsides and major clusters. Ibarapa, please relax; I give you my word that the project will be completed and commissioned before I leave office.”
The Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, during his 2023 re-election campaign, also promised to address the electricity challenges in Ibarapa zone. While addressing the then PDP supporters at the state campaign flag-off in Igboora, he declared that his administration would set up a Rural Electrification Board to improve power supply in the area.
The Governor promised that Ibarapa would be “fully carried along” on the Rural Electrification Board that he had requested an indigene of Ibarapaland to be part of it. Makinde made the pledge as part of his “Omituntun 2.0” agenda, acknowledging that electricity supply was a major challenge for residents of the region.
In the same vein, Hon. Adebayo Adepoju, popularly known as Ibarapakan, the House of Representatives member representing Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, also promised to end the “epileptic power supply” in the constituency.
In a statement issued on December 4, 2024, Ibarapakan announced that he had facilitated six transformers to, according to him, address the epileptic power supply in the constituency.
Adepoju also said, “The replacement of all the faulty electric poles from Eruwa to Igangan will commence in the first/second quarter of the year 2025, and I seek the support of the five communities in ensuring that the issue of lack of electricity supply in our constituency becomes a thing of the past.”
On September 6, 2024, the Executive Chairman of Ibarapa North Local Government, Hon. Lateef Lawal (Akorede), in a statement issued by his media aide, Jimoh Usairu, made a pledge of the sum of One Million Naira to rehabilitate the faulty cables from Idere to Igangan in a move to restore electricity supply to the communities under the local government.
“This donation will be utilized to replace defective poles and repair faulty cables, thereby restoring reliable electricity to the area. According to Mr. Adeola Ojediran, the IBEDC representative responsible for the Ibarapa Zone, the team will commence work on repairing and restoring power supply to Ibarapa North forthwith,” Akorede’s October 2024 statement partly read.
However, Hon. Sola Adeleke’s pledge to rehabilitate the electricity line from Eruwa to Idere as a move to end the blackout in the council areas drew mixed reactions online, with residents recounting similar promises made by the members of the political class in the past, particularly during the electioneering period, and questioning whether the latest pledge would produce tangible results.
Commenting on the news published by Corefront News, a Facebook user, Adeagbo Boluwatife, wrote, “May God deliver us from politics. They just thought of rehabilitation of light from Eruwa when the election is closer. Anyways kudos; believing is not a deceiving promise.”
Another user, Afolabi Naheem, wrote, “That is one of their tricks (sic) sir, behold it might be political strategy aiming to draw the populace’s attention. I hope our people liberate from this avarice.”
Akande Toyosi wrote, “They still start another campaign with “I will” instead of “I have”. Empty promise just full ground.”
Another user, Tinuade Olla, wrote “Those politicians are big liars, because of election, they promise heaven and earth. Let’s wait and see. What about the roads within the town?”
Najeem Fatiu, wrote, “The word “light” just come out from speech as it usually comes out from others too not in reality, Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North can only hear the light from word or see it in their dreams.”
A user, Oluwajuwon Samuel, who appeared to have lost hope in the restoration of electricity supply in the constituency advised the council chairman. He wrote, “Please tell Honorable Chairman to kindly invest in negotiation with necessary authorities on how to get industrial solar-energy system for the whole Ibarapa.”
Another user, Rofiat Faruq, who said she would always admire the Ibarapa Central Council Chairman, Adeleke, if his move towards ending blackout in the constituency turns out to be a success, wrote, “I will always love you if you try and achieve this.”
However, some users expressed concerns over the state of electricity supply in Ibarapa North Local Government which consists of three communities, Ayete, Tapa, and Igangan. The people of the council, who have been in darkness for over 10 years, seemed to have lost hope.
A Facebook user, Ayanwale Nike, wrote, “Please, include other ibarapa (towns) too, don’t stop at Idere, collide (sic) with the (Ibarapa) North chairman too and let other towns enjoy electricity too.”
Another user, Olulowo Oyalakun, wrote, “Very unfortunate, Ibarapa North not mentioned even if it is politics.”
A user, Harjibola, also wrote, “Ibarapa abi Ibarapa Central, nothing concerns Ibarapa North with light again.”
Meanwhile, Chief of Staff to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest Deputy Coordinator, Comr. Jimoh Idris (Sugar), commended Adeleke, the Ibarapa Central Chairman, over his pledge to restore electricity supply to the council areas within, according to him, a month.
Jimoh, in a statement made available to Corefront News on Sunday, urged Adeleke to translate his promise into concrete action, stressing that fulfilling the pledge would strengthen public confidence in his leadership.
Sugar described Adeleke as a “talk-and-do” man, expressing hope that the promised restoration would become a reality.
Adeleke’s public announcement, however, signals an end to the electricity challenges in the areas that have been in blackout for over 10 years, with residents of the communities awaiting the commencement of the rehabilitation of Eruwa-Idere electricity, a development which will be greeted with commendations if actualized.