Support is steadily growing for Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi in her bid to represent Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo and Odigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Party stakeholders and community groups increasingly describe her as a prepared and results-oriented candidate. Her campaign is anchored on what she calls a blend of practical governance experience and economic insight, a message that has begun to resonate across the three local government areas in the constituency.
Professional Background and Achievements
Fajemirokun-Ajayi has built part of her appeal on a professional background that includes facilitating over $150 million in investment pipelines and supporting the recovery and repatriation of more than $50 million in assets into Nigeria. Her supporters say these figures reflect a record of delivery that sets her apart in the contest.
At the centre of her campaign is a recurring theme: representation must translate into tangible improvement in people’s lives. She argues that lawmakers should not only understand community needs but also convert local strengths into economic opportunities. “Representation should be about understanding the people, knowing the strengths of the land, and turning those strengths into real benefits for everyday people,” she said while engaging stakeholders across the constituency.
Focus on Local Economic Assets
In Ile-Oluji, she has consistently pointed to cocoa production as a major economic asset. Ondo State remains one of Nigeria’s leading cocoa-producing regions, and she believes the constituency has yet to fully maximise its value chain potential. According to her, emphasis should shift from raw production to processing, improved farmer support systems, and expanded access to international markets that can increase earnings for local producers.
“Ore gives us a major advantage as a commercial hub. With the right policies, it can become an engine for jobs and industrial growth,” she noted, adding that strategic investments in infrastructure could reposition the town as a stronger logistics and business centre. She also highlighted Odigbo’s bitumen deposits as another underutilised opportunity, saying targeted policies and investor engagement could unlock development while ensuring that host communities benefit directly from extraction activities.
Political and Administrative Experience
Her growing support base includes party members who point to her administrative and political experience as a key advantage. They argue that her background gives her an understanding of how government systems work and how to secure results within them. Fajemirokun-Ajayi previously served as Senior Special Adviser on Strategy, Investments and Partnerships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she was involved in facilitating investment engagements and strengthening performance systems within government structures. She also served as Executive Secretary of the West Africa Economic Summit Secretariat, where she coordinated engagements involving nine Heads of State, development finance institutions, and regional bodies aimed at boosting trade and investment within West Africa.
In addition, she played a strategic role as Head of Secretariat for the All Progressives Congress National Situation Room during the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, overseeing data-driven coordination processes that supporters say improved operational efficiency during the polls. Her academic background includes studies in Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading and executive training at Columbia Business School, which she says strengthened her policy and leadership perspective.
Recognition and Grassroots Engagement
She has received several recognitions, including the APC Youth Presidential Award and acknowledgements from organisations such as Girl Show Nigeria and the Good Planet Foundation in Silicon Valley, as well as a listing among the 10 Most Powerful in Advocacy by YNaija. As the campaign progresses, she continues to focus on grassroots engagement, maintaining that the constituency already possesses the raw potential needed for development, which only requires effective representation to unlock.
