Professor Fatai Ayinde Aremu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections, has said his years of academic research and policy experience will shape his legislative agenda if elected into the House of Representatives.
Aremu, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Ilorin, said his decision to venture into politics was driven by a desire to translate years of research on public policy into practical decisions capable of improving people’s lives.
In an interview with Tribune Online, the university don explained that his academic career had focused on understanding how government policies affect different categories of people, particularly those whose needs are often overlooked in policy formulation and implementation.
“I took an interest, while growing up in academia, in how policies are made and the consequences of policies on people,” he said.
Aremu disclosed that he had participated in policy-oriented research training in different countries and facilitated programmes for international organisations, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank.
According to him, his research has consistently focused on improving people’s living conditions, with particular attention to the unequal effects of government policies on different groups.
He explained that policies often treat people as though they have identical circumstances, despite differences in gender, ability, social background and other factors that influence how government interventions affect them.
The PDP candidate said his entry into politics would provide an opportunity to move beyond researching policy challenges to participating directly in decisions that shape governance and public welfare.
“In Professor Aremu, you see somebody who deliberately developed himself not just in academic research, but in research with transformative potential,” he said.
He added that his experience in policy research would help him identify legislative priorities, propose necessary amendments and advocate the repeal of laws that no longer serve the public interest.
Aremu said he already had ideas about the laws he would champion if elected, noting that his long-standing engagement with policy issues had helped him develop a clearer understanding of the reforms needed.
Beyond lawmaking, the university don outlined three major areas of intervention for his proposed representation: jobs and enterprise, effective representation, and community development.
On employment and enterprise, he said his priority would be to promote dignified and fulfilling jobs for young people, support small and medium-scale businesses, improve farmers’ access to credit and agricultural inputs, and create opportunities in the digital and creative economy.
He also pledged to explore partnerships with development organisations to attract resources for agriculture and other sectors, arguing that the constituency should benefit from funding opportunities beyond conventional government budgetary allocations.
On effective representation, Aremu promised to hold quarterly town hall meetings, maintain an accessible constituency office and regularly engage residents to understand their concerns and communicate developments in the National Assembly.
He said lawmakers should not restrict themselves to legislative duties alone but should explore lawful and innovative ways to connect their constituents with opportunities for development.
For community development, the PDP candidate proposed helping credible community-based organisations identify funding opportunities and prepare proposals for projects in sectors such as education, healthcare, roads, water, security and electricity.
He explained that his role would be to provide technical guidance and facilitate access to funding, while ensuring that grants went directly to the relevant community organisations.
Aremu said his development agenda would combine legislative interventions with strategic partnerships to address the needs of residents, particularly those in rural communities who often struggle to access development opportunities.
He also stressed the need for cooperation between federal lawmakers and state governors, regardless of political affiliation, arguing that elected officials should prioritise public welfare over personal ambitions and partisan differences.
According to him, unnecessary rivalry among political officeholders distracts them from their primary responsibility of improving the lives of the people they represent.
Aremu, who said he rose from a humble background, including working in a bakery and weaving aso oke, described his personal journey to becoming a professor as an example of what young people from ordinary backgrounds could achieve through education and opportunity.
He said his proposed representation would be guided by the belief that people from disadvantaged backgrounds deserved opportunities to succeed and participate meaningfully in development.
The 2027 House of Representatives hopeful maintained that his combination of academic research, policy experience and knowledge of grassroots challenges would inform his approach to legislation and constituency development.