Kunle ADELABU & Wale JAGUN
-I accept your mandate and pledge to work towards more impacting representation- Hon. Agunbiade
-Nollywood actors, traders, unions, Igbos, Hausas, others endorse lawmaker’s candidacy
It was another impressive and crowd-pulling rally in Ikorodu on Saturday, January 19, 2019, as Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade, Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat in the forthcoming general elections, flagged off his re-election campaign in grand style.
At the campaign which was held at the Ikorodu Local Government Open Ground Opposite Post Office, Ikorodu, the ranking lawmaker was endorsed by other candidates, aspirants and party leaders as the party’s preferred candidate for the much coveted seat.
Various artisan groups, unions, associations and cultural groups also joined in endorsing the three-term lawmaker for another term.
Different speakers at the well-attended rally also solicited for supports from the electorate for all the APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
The flag off event started around 9am as Hon. Agunbiade led hundreds of his supporters and residents in a street from the Ikorodu Garage Roundabout through the Ayangbure road. The crowd stopped over at the Ayangbure palace to pay homage and receive blessings from His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, before heading to the open ground opposite the Ikorodu Post Office for the main event.
Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, the APC State Vice Chairman, Lagos East, led several party chieftains, chairmen and others in presenting the party’s flag to Hon. Agunbiade as the party’s flag bearer for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat.
Speaking shortly after the presentation, Asipa Olusanya stated that Agunbiade is the best choice for Constituency I and urged party members to work hard to ensure the victory of all APC candidates across the senatorial district.
“Today, the party has made the decision that Hon. Agunbiade is our flag bearer. That is why we are here today.
“Our voting in the coming election must be different from all other elections that we have been voting. We are not going to record votes that would get us one or two commissionership positions.
“Our target this time is a minimum of 200,000 votes to show our strength and to be considered for like three commissionership positions.
“We need to talk to people and canvass them to votes for all our candidates. As a party, we have been appealing to aggrieved members to accept the decision of the party and work for its progress”.
Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Babajimi Benson, in his remarks, called for support for Hon. Agunbiade and other APC candidates including himself vying for re-election into the House of Representatives.
“We want Hon. Agunbiade to return for the 4th term and we have endorsed him to represent Ikorodu Constituency I again at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“On March 2nd, I appeal to all of us to vote for our Gubernatorial and State Assembly candidates. In Constituency I, you should massively vote for Hon. Agunbiade, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja in Constituency II and Mr Babajide Sanwoolu as Lagos State Governor.
“Our Presidential candidate is President Muhammadu Buhari and for the Lagos East Senatorial candidate, you should all vote for Hon. Sikiru Osinowo and Hon. Babajimi Benson for the House of Representatives.
‘On behalf of myself and political family, I hereby endorse Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat”, the federal lawmaker stated.
He also assured the party members of the dividends of democracy if APC comes out victorious in the 2019 general elections.
Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, speaking on behalf of the three council chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency I, stated that they have also adopted Hon. Agunbiade as their flag bearer for the Ikorodu Constituency I Lagos State House of Assembly seat in the coming general elections.
He also called on all the party people and the public to vote for all APC candidates.
Other Council Chairmen at the campaign flag off were Hon. Adeola Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Princess Jumoke Jimbo-Ademehin, Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Comrade Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Hon. Fathiu Salisu, Chairman, Ijede LCDA.
Barr. Lekan Ijelu, who spoke on behalf of the all the aspirants for Ikorodu Constituency I seat in the last APC primary elections, pledged their total supports for Hon. Agunbiade and other candidates of the party.
“For the coming general elections , I hereby pledge, declare our collective support for our candidates in APC, starting from the Presidential candidate which is President Buhari, Senatorial, Hon. Osinowo, House of Representatives, Hon. Benson, Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Agunbiade and for the Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Solaja.
“We have made up our minds that we are going to stay with APC because we are loyal party members. We have put all that happened at the primary behind us and ready to forge ahead.
“This party belong to all of us. It’s normal for us to fight but once we resolved, we go back working for the greatness of the party. We have resolved that Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade, our party’s flag bearer, is our candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat in the coming election.
“We hereby declare to vote and mobilise massive support for him so that he can record more votes than before in the coming election. Ikorodu Constituency votes in the coming elections must be more than ever before”, he emphasized.
Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan, the Director of Sports, Babajide Sanwoolu Campaign Group and a former aspirant for Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat, also declared his support for Hon. Agunbiade and other APC candidates.
“My best friend in opposition party is not a friend but my worst enemy in APC is my best friend. Politics itself is a game. You either win or lose and I was prepared for the two.
“On February 16, we all know our flag bearer for the Presidential election. I implore you all to vote for President Buhari, Hon. Osinowo and Hon. Benson for the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives respectively.
“The March 2 election is very fundamental and critical. Our own candidate is our own Opomulero, Hon S.O.B. Agunbiade.
He then openly demonstrated his endorsement for Hon. Agunbiade’s candidacy by raising his hand to the admiration of the cheering crowd.
Another former aspirant for the Assembly seat who also spoke at the flag off, Mr Nurudeen Yekinni, popularly known as ‘Nero’, also called for support for the three term lawmaker while also raising his hand to endorse him for the seat.
“This is our party and we cannot afford to make it disintegrate. After disagreement, it’s now time to come together as a family and support all our party’s candidates.
“It’s only when we work together in unity that we can collectively send our political ‘enemies’ away by defeating them at the elections. We need unity in our party. I can tell you that there is no more fight in our party.
“We have resolved within ourselves that we are going to vote for all APC candidates starting from the presidency and our candidate is President Muhammudu Buhari.
“Our Assembly candidate is the Majority Leader of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Agunbiade. He is very well known to us. We are not going to allow any other party to take our seat”.
The leader of the Patriot Group in Ikorodu, Prince Adegboyega Oyebola Ologijo, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose decamping to APC was formally announced at the rally, stated that Ikorodu residents should not allow PDP to have any position in Ikorodu division.
Calling for support for Hon. Agunbiade, he stated, “Ikorodu people should put sentiment aside and start appreciating the importance and quality of Hon. Agunbiade. He has been a wonderful representative and I want to assure our people that he’ll adjust where ever there is need when he is re-elected”.
Oloye Oye Elesho, former Chairman of Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), Otunba Ayodele Elesho, former Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Quadri Golden Jay, the Baba Oba of Egbin Kingdom, among other party chieftains also took their turns to endorse Hon. Agunbiade for another term.
Addressing the massive crowd, Agunbiade thanked the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the State Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun and the entire chieftains and members of the party at state, senatorial and divisional levels for their supports.
While accepting the flag of the party to run for the Assembly seat for the fourth time, he equally thanked the people of Ikorodu for their supports so far.
“Today, I gladly received the flag of the party as its candidate in the forthcoming elections. I wholeheartedly accept to once again represent my great party and the good people of Ikorodu.
“I thank my co-aspirants for their love and understanding”.
Meanwhile,in an interview with THE IMPACT, Hon. Agunbiade promised to do more if re-elected.
“Since my first term, I have promised the good people of Ikorodu nothing but impactful representation. I am promising to do more when I am re-elected as your representative. I thank my party and the entirety of Ikorodu people for always been there for me. I will never let them down,” he said.
He also urged the electorate in Ikorodu to support and vote for other APC candidates.
“I want to appeal to the electorate in our division to once again give their supports to our great party and its candidates . Go out and vote for President Buhari for another term as the President of Nigria, Hon. Bayo Osinowo for Senate, Hon. Babajimi Benson as your representative at the House of Representatives.
“I also enjoin you to vote for our Gubernatorial candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu as the Governor of the State, my humble self as your representative for Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja for Ikorodu Constituency II Assembly seat”, he urged.
Representatives of the Nollywood actors, market people, unions, Igbo and Arewa communities among others also mounted the stage to announced their endorsement for Hon. Agunbiade.
At the flag off event were the representative of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, which included , Hon. Rotimi Olowo(Shomolu I), Hon. Tobun ( Epe I), Hon. Segun Olulade (Epe II) , Hon. Moshood Oshun ( Lagos Mainland II) and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja( Ikorodu Constituency II).
Other aspirants for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat at the campaign flag-off were Hon. Adeola Jokomba, Otunba Saheed Ibikunle, Mr Anifowoshe and Mr Yinka Majekodun.
Also in attendance were Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, represented by his wife,Yeye Funmi Basorun, Member of the Governing Council, Lagos State Sports Commission, Prince Hakeem Olukunga, Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group, Alhaji Lasisi F.O, Arch. Taiwo Kara, Chief Adenrele Olowu, Alh. Junaid Owokodu, Alhaji Musliu Animashaun and Alhaji Monzor Olowosago.
The three APC Chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency I, Alhaji Taiwo Longe, Elder Olakitan and Hon. Iyiola and many councilors across the constituency were also present at high voltage rally.
