Barrister Lekan Ijelu, a litigation lawyer of almost two decades and a politician, is among the aspirants contesting for the Ikorodu Constituency I Seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly. In this interview with the Publisher/Reporter-in-Chief of THE IMPACT newspaper, Kunle ADELABU, he bore his mind on several issues including his experiences in his last three attempts to occupy the seat, why lawyers are better prepared for the legislative work than others, why the party should consider him as the person for the seat and the conflicts regarding APC ward and council congresses among others. Excerpts:
IMPACT: For the record, what is your name?
Ijelu: I’m Barrister Lekan Ijelu, born, bred and raised in Ikorodu.
IMPACT: What differentiate you from other aspirants for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly?
Ijelu: I know about the nooks and crannies of Ikorodu which I am very much familiar with as an indigene unlike somebody who is just coming from outside Ikorodu to contest an election here. We are talking of somebody who was bred and raised and still stays here compare to others who were born and raised elsewhere. That is the difference between some aspirants for the Constituency 1 Assembly seat and I. One knows the terrain better than other. That is a major difference.
IMPACT: Why do you think you should be considered for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat?
Ijelu: It is because I have also practiced law for about two decades. Pure and simple. I’m not a contractor. I’m a pure litigation lawyer. I have spent my post-call practice experience here in Ikorodu. I have my law practice and residence here in Ikorodu, so, I’m fully based in the town and well known to virtually everybody. I participate fully in the Ikorodu politics and without sounding immodest, I’m not unknown to a lot of people, particularly the politicians in Ikorodu; whether party leaders or members. I’m not unknown because I have been participating in party politics for thirteen years. That is active participation in party politics which have afforded me the opportunity to engage seriously and actively in the political process as a party member contesting and vying for offices and in this case, a particular office. This is because I have a focus as a person and not as a normal politician who just want to get into any office. I know my capacity and areas of strength as a legal practitioner and that is why I have chosen the House of Assembly to start with. Ultimately, I intend to represent my people in the Lagos East Senatorial District in the Senate when the time comes. Over the last twelve years, I have been contesting for the seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, though, I have not been opportuned to win but I know that I’m closer to it than before. Each of my three attempts had proven to me that I’m improving and would soon get there. It will also interest you that despite my active participation and aspirations, I have not been considered for any political appointment, but I’m still loyal to the party despite that. Each time I failed to get reach target, I never attempt rocking the boat and I accepted party’s decision and campaigned for the party’s candidate. Sometimes, I felt pained by certain circumstances within the party, yet, I always abide by its decision. For someone who has been contesting for that long, it’s natural that your endurance and patience would have been tested enough to jump boat but I don’t believe in that because I’m a consistent person in character and attitude. I believe in fighting for what I believe in within the party with the aim of ultimately getting it.
IMPACT: This is your fourth attempts of vying for the Assembly seat and there is no doubt that you have garnered lots of experience concerning political contest and participation, now, why do you think the party should look at your side for the position in the coming election?
Ijelu: I seriously believe that the party should consider me for the position. The party should reconsider the passion of using the same candidate over-and-over-and-again. We cannot continue doing same thing in same manner and expect different results. The party has fielded a particular candidate for twelve years, you can only say that such person has performed and offered his best. It’s time that the party looks elsewhere for another committed party member so that we can breath fresh air into the system. A new candidate would bring in new innovations and new ways of doing things for the good of our party. I urge the party that in the in the interest of justice and fairness and in the interest of allowing other people to have a stake in the party, the party should consider somebody like me. In actual fact, I’m offering myself. If you look at the capacity of all the aspirants currently parading themselves for the position excluding the incumbent, you will consider somebody like me as a better option for the position. I have consistently been on the trail of the incumbent in the last twelve years and with all humility, I have done a lot for the party in my capacity. I have contributed financially to the party by buying forms in the last three attempts and spending hundreds of thousands of naira on campaigns without getting anything in return as compensation. I think that the party should look at somebody like me; look at the context of my participation so far especially the last primary election which you covered, I competed so closely against the incumbent and garnered over 100 votes compare to the person in the third position who had 33 votes. Naturally, there should be no hesitation or questioning over who is next when the party is looking for an alternative. With my experience over the last three attempts, my financial contributions and hard work for the party in winning Presidential, Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and Assembly elections as the Divisional Secretary to the Divisional Campaign Committee headed by Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, I believe that I’m the next person in line if the party wants to choose another person. Aside the incumbent, none of the aspirants has contributed to the party as I have done or possess the experience that I have as a lawyer. This also counts because none of them know what they do in the Assembly. What do they know in terms of law which is the core of a lawmaker’s duty? If they are going to represent our people, can they tell us how they are going to make laws to benefit of our people…. (cuts in).
IMPACT: But aspirants who are not lawyers are also saying that the position is not only meant for lawyers… (cuts in)
Ijelu: Well, it is true that the constitution does not say that the position is meant for lawyers, but we all know that those who are best fitted for that office are lawyers and elsewhere in the older democracy where those who are not lawyers are elected into the Congress, they normally go back to the school to study law. Primarily, you are going there to make laws and if you don’t know anything about lawmaking, how are you going to represent your people effectively? It can be simply put that they will only go there to warm the bench and this is one area where I want to commend our division, especially in Constituency 1 for always sending lawyers to the House of Assembly to represent us and those that had represented us so far had performed very well. They helped the division in terms of relevance in the state. I’m not saying that those who are not lawyers cannot perform, but you cannot compare their performance with lawyers.
IMPACT: There is this allegation that you always isolate yourself from the party after your contest in each of your three attempts only to resurface again when it is time to contest for another election. What do you have to say to this sir?
Ijelu: That is not true and can never be true. Those saying that are my detractors. They are people who owe their loyalty to some other candidates or groups in the party. I’m a thorough party man. I have been attending ward and Local Government meetings regularly, so what else do you want me to do? The allegation is not true and you can cross check my attendance at meetings at ward and local government levels in the party’s attendance register. I have seen the whole thing as a serious engagement.
IMPACT: What is your view about the crisis that bedeviled the APC’s Congress at ward and Local Government levels, more so, that the delegates are going to be voting for you and other aspirants in the primary elections?
Ijelu: This is politics and conflicts are natural to political engagements. According to Harold Laski, a political philosopher and scientist, he said politics is all about agreement and disagreement. You have to disagree to agree and since party is an association of varying interests, people must try to fight for their interests and see to it that they are protected. All these issues going on regarding Congress are normal party practices in a democracy. It’s not new.
Brief Profile of Barr. Lekan Ijelu
Barrister Lekan Ijelu is the Managing Partner of Lekan Ijelu & Company, a firm of Legal Practitioners located in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Following his call to the Nigerian Bar in 2000, and after completing the mandatory one year national service, he joined the law firm of Pinhero and Company, Ilupeju, Lagos, where he cut his legal teeth and in 2005, established Messrs Lekan Ijelu & Company where he has been practicing law till date.
Lekan Ijelu is a general Law Practitioner and a thorough bred one with a bias for litigation practice. A seasoned litigator, both in general civil and criminal cases, he is also adept in other Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADRs). He has litigated an extensive range of issues including human rights, constitutional law, banking, intellectual property, contract law, receiverships, arbitration, corporate recovery, company matters, insolvency, chieftaincy, land matters, family law etc both at trial and appellate levels of courts in Nigeria.
Over the years, he has committed tremendous professional time and resources to pursuing pro bono (free legal) services as a public law litigator. He is a visionary and challenge driven professional with extensive experience in analyzing, structuring, negotiating and closing sophisticated commercial transactions.
He is married with children and lives in Ikorodu West LCDA in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria. He enjoys reading, playing tennis and traveling.
