Leke Abejide Taking Yagba National for Good

By J.O. Abel-Ontop

In Nigerian politics, influence is often measured not only by the office a politician occupies, but by the relationships he builds, the institutions he can engage and the extent to which his voice carries beyond his immediate constituency. By that measure, Rt. Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide has gradually moved from being a local political figure to becoming a player with a wider presence in Nigeria’s national political and business circles.

Abejide’s story is particularly interesting because his political relevance has developed alongside a career in business. Before entering the National Assembly, he had established himself in the maritime, shipping and logistics business. His commercial background has given him an understanding of trade, customs administration and the private sector that now intersects with his legislative responsibilities. Profiles of his career describe his involvement in businesses connected with shipping, logistics and related sectors.

That background has become even more relevant since he assumed the chairmanship of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise. The committee sits at an important point between the legislature, the Executive and the business community because customs administration directly affects revenue generation, international trade, importation, border management and the ease of doing business.

Abejide’s role has consequently taken him into regular engagement with the Nigeria Customs Service and other government institutions. In January 2026, for instance, he spoke at the International Customs Day programme in Abuja on the need to address administrative bottlenecks affecting cargo clearance and trade facilitation. More recently, he publicly addressed issues surrounding personnel administration within the Customs Service, insisting that retirement must be governed by established public service rules.

These are not the activities of a legislator operating only within the politics of his constituency. They demonstrate increasing involvement in national institutional affairs.

His influence also extends across the National Assembly. As committee chairman, Abejide is involved in oversight and consideration of matters involving a major federal revenue-generating institution. A July 2026 House order paper, for example, recorded him presenting the report of the Customs and Excise Committee on a proposed allocation of more than ₦1.4 trillion from the Statutory Revenue Fund for the Nigeria Customs Service.

This position gives him access to senior parliamentary colleagues and places him within discussions that connect legislation, public finance, government agencies and the private sector.

His political network has also expanded into the Executive arm of government. Abejide has maintained visible relationships with senior political figures and has publicly supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. His political interactions with figures close to the Presidency, including Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have further demonstrated that his political relevance extends beyond the walls of the National Assembly.

At the same time, his relationship with Kogi State’s political leadership has positioned him as a participant in conversations that transcend party boundaries. Former Governor Yahaya Bello has publicly acknowledged Abejide’s political support for the Tinubu administration despite their different political platforms, while Governor Usman Ododo has also praised Abejide for supporting programmes of the Kogi State Government.

Perhaps more significant is the fact that Abejide has demonstrated an ability to maintain relationships across political divides. In Nigeria’s often sharply partisan political environment, that capacity can be valuable. Government projects, economic opportunities and national appointments are ultimately driven by institutions and relationships that frequently extend beyond party lines.

His business background reinforces this political network. A businessman who has operated within the maritime and logistics environment naturally interacts with a broad range of commercial interests, regulators, government agencies and professionals. His transition from business into national politics therefore did not mean abandoning one sphere for another; rather, the two have increasingly intersected.

That intersection could become particularly important for Yagba.

The real political value of a representative is not simply in how many people he knows, but in whether his relationships can create a stronger negotiating position for his people. A legislator who understands government, speaks the language of business and has established relationships within the legislature and Executive possesses a combination that can be deployed beyond conventional constituency politics.

This is also why the discussion around Abejide’s political future cannot be viewed solely through the prism of another election. His growing national profile has implications for the political weight of Yagba itself. The longer a representative operates within national institutions, the more institutional knowledge, relationships and influence he accumulates.

Abejide has already spent two terms in the House of Representatives. He is no longer a newcomer trying to understand how Abuja works. He has become part of the system he once entered as an outsider. His committee responsibilities, business experience and political relationships have given him a platform from which he can participate in conversations far beyond Yagba.

The question for 2027, therefore, is not simply whether Leke Abejide wants another term. It is what Yagba stands to gain from retaining a representative whose political and professional networks have continued to expand.

Politics is ultimately about influence, but responsible influence must translate into public value. Abejide’s next political chapter will be judged by how effectively he converts his national relationships, legislative experience and business exposure into opportunities for the people he represents.

That is the larger meaning of “Taking Yagba National for Good.” It is not merely about having a Yagba son in Abuja. It is about having a representative who can sit at the table where national decisions are made, engage the legislature and Executive, understand the concerns of business and government, and ensure that Yagba’s voice is not lost in the complexity of national politics.

For a constituency seeking greater political relevance, that accumulated influence is an asset worth examining seriously.