HON. ELDER LEKE ABEJIDE, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs Service
Legislator of the Year
In Nigeria, many a legislator use their partisan minority status as an excuse for non-performance. But not Hon. Elder Leke Joseph Abejide, the House of Representatives member representing Yagba Federal Constituency of Kogi State. He is one of the very few members elected on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Yet, he has been flying high on performance, especially in the provision of dividends of democracy for his people. To his people, this is understandable: he had laid a solid foundation of service to them when, as a private business man, he attended to different aspects of his people’s welfare. He has been building on that foundation as a parliamentarian.
Born in 1975 in Alu, Yagba East local Government Area of Kogi state, Hon. Abejide was educated at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Bayero University, Kano, from where he obtained a Bachelor’s and Masters’ degrees in Economics, respectively.
Hon. Abejide began life in business working with DIVA-ITH-TIC-LTD-STI, Turkey between 2004 to 2007. He later set up his own company, ABYEM INT’L LTD, a private clearing company with impressive mission, vision, accomplishments and good services.
He became a well-known, resourceful and successful entrepreneur and an active member and patron of the Association of Clearing and Forwarding Agents.
Out of his demanding schedules he found a communal responsibility through a non-partisan, Non-Governmental Organization called Leke Abejide Foundation, to serve as an intervention agency in the human needs of his people, especially the less privileged, widows, the elderly and indigent students. Some of his numerous achievements, contribution, and projects include:
The renovation of a health centre in Alu in collaboration with other prominent indigenes of the community; donation of poles for the electrification of Igbo-Ero; paying special allowances to five NYSC members posted to Community High School every year from 2011 to 2017; empowerment of widows from 2014 to date; and the construction of a police station equipped with motorized borehole, generator, fence and other necessary facilities to enhance the security of lives and property in Alu community.
Elder Abejide has been paying school fees from Junior Secondary School to Senior Secondary School in colleges in Alu since 2014. In an unprecedented move, he paid the WAEC fees for all students in public schools in Yagba Federal Constituency, including their administrative charges amounting to over N43Million in 2019/2020.
He has provided uncountable financial and material assistance to almost every one within his community. He has employed over 200 Yagba indigenes in his company alone.
Apparently, in appreciation of his services, the people elected Hon. Leke Abejide in 2019 to the House of Representatives on the platform of little known party, the African Democratic Congress ADC, defeating the candidates of the more popular parties. He was reelected in 2023 and is the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on the Customs Service.
Hon. (Elder) Leke Abejide has become a household name in Kogi politics, highly popular and widely respected. He is reputed for his performance as the Member of the House of Representatives for Yagba Federal Constituency. His record spans across education, road infrastructure, community development, and welfare programmes for the aged and widows. These achievements have earned him loyal supporters.
He is believed to be eyeing a third term in the green side of the National Assembly.
The selection of Hon. (Elder) Leke Abejide as The Top10 Magazine’s Legislator of the Year is in recognition of his exemplary leadership and courageous representation as one of the shinning stars of the 10th National Assembly coupled with his accomplishments in the provision of dividends of democracy to his people which have endeared him to the people of his constituency.
