Kunle ADELABU
-Candidates speak on traffic gridlock, part-time legislature, budget, youth’s engagement, security, accessibility, others
Seven candidates vying for the Ikorodu Constituency I and II seats at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Sunday, January 28, 2019, attended the First Legislative Debate in Ikorodu Division where they presented their agendas and positions on topical issues to the electorate.
The debate, which was held at the main auditorium of the Ikorodu Town hall, was orgainsed by the Relevant Economic And Leadership Initiatives (REAL) in conjunction with Ikorodu Division Youths Movement.
Candidates vying for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat that were in attendance were the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and the incumbent occupant of the much coveted seat, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, Hon. Shamsideen Abayomi Ayanlaja, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Prince Adeyemi Odofin, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Mr Balogun Rotimi, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).
The Assembly candidates from Ikorodu Constituency II at the debate candidates were the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Mrs Oyebanjo Adeola, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prince Adegoke Ademola, Alliance for Democracy (AD), and Barr Paul Okoro, Alliance for New Nigeria, (ANN).
Three other candidates who were invited but failed to show up were the APC candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja and the two PDP candidates for the Ikorodu Constituencies I and II Assembly seats, Mr Mukaila Lamina and Mr Abiodun Moshood Aro respectively .
The REAL Initiative Coordinator, Seun Elesho, expressed dissatisfaction at the lateness of most of the candidates.
”It’s quite unfortunate that we don’t attach much importance to issues that affect us; that is why we are starting this debate late. It was due to the lateness of some of the candidates.
“Those that have been here on time have proven what they truly are and what we should expect from them if elected”, he stated.
Stating the reason for the debate, Elesho said:
“We consider legislative work as a very important work which must be given necessary attentions. We are here today to examine the capacities of those offering to represent us.
“The debate is simply to further expose the candidates to the people and it is also a platform where critical questions would be asked by the people. The debate will also enable people to evaluate the relevance of each candidate to nation building.
“This debate is the first of its kind in Ikorodu and it mainly focus on the legislative arm. It is our believe that this arm will help improve good governance.
He announced that two of the invited candidates wrote the organisers a day earlier to state that they would not be attending.
Elesho also decried the absence of youths and other stakeholders at the debate.
“Ikorodu people don’t attend intellectual discussions but social gatherings. More unfortunate is that our youths are not disposed to issues that will help develop them and the division.
Questions :
The moderator, Mr Bolaji Sunmoni, who exercised effective control on the debate, asked the candidates the same questions after they had introduced themselves.
The candidates responded to questions which centred on various issues such as; what they would do as a representative if budget do not favour their constituency; where they live and hangout; how they will use their legislative power to improve traffic situation; what they considered as the most important infrastructural development needed by Ikorodu; handling of cultism and youths unrest and why they should be voted for?.
Others were demolition of houses for right of way and what they are going to do (if elected) in terms of compensation for the victims; making legislative work a part-time; accessibility; youth engagement; improving security; plans for the less privilege and feedback to the constituents?
According to the organisers, the questions were generated from the members of the public.
About five private school students at the event were also given opportunity to ask questions from the candidates.
Hon. Shamsideen Abayomi Ayanlaja, AD candidate for Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat, is a former Councilor in Ikorodu Local Government on the platform of the PDP. He studied Mathematics and Statistics. He was worked a financial institution and currently into fish farming and entertainment
In his responses to the questions, he stated:
“I will look into the budget proposal and see where my people in Ikorodu will benefit. I will not support its passage if it does not make adequate allocations for development in my constituency.
“I have been staying at Alara for many years and I usually hangout at Owolowo.
On using legislative power to improve traffic, Hon. Ayanlaja stated:
“We need to open up more link roads. The only road in and out of Ikorodu is not helping at all as it is contributing majorly to the traffic gridlock. We also need to constantly maintain the inner roads.
He said that as a legislator, he will lobby for projects that would improve socio-economic of his constituency.
“Our youths need reorientation on how they should live their lives. There is also need to give them employment so that they can be engaged and we must constantly engage them”, he stated while responding to question on ways to tackle cultism and youth restiveness.
On why the audience should vote for him, Ayanlaja stated:
“I have taken politics as career after representing my ward as a Councilor. It is my desire to assist my people because I know what they need.
“I love my people and I want to represent them. I believe that if I am elected into that position, I can help them very well”.
Speaking on the demolition of houses for right of way in Igbogbo and Owutu, he stated that people need education before purchasing lands so as not to encroach on government’s lands.
“As a councilor, I was very accessible. I have been using same number and I am still going to be more accessible if elected as the representative of Ikorodu Constituency I”.
On inclusion of youths in governance, Ayanlaja stated, “We need to take the government back to the street if we are to empower the youths”.
He was opposed to part-time legislative work because of the task involved.
He pledged to support the local vigilance group in providing security in his constituency.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Ayanlaja stated, “I want to bring back government closer to the people. I want our people to talk freely with their representative and I want to meet their needs”.
Prince Adegoke Ademola, Alliance for Democracy, AD candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II Assembly seat, is an Economist and Educationist. He had worked in public service and presently into private practice.
Speaking on the budget, he stated that he will make sure that the interests of his people are well represented and protected by factoring in the need of his people.
The Assembly candidate, who live at Elepe and hangs out at Grammar school, Oke Ota Ona, Ikorodu, and Lagos road, Ikorodu, while responding to the question on traffic gridlock, stated that there is need for investment on waterways and creation of alternative roads like 4th Mainland bridge.
On what he considered as the most important infrastructural development needed in Ikorodu, he stated: “We can maximize the resources that we have all around us. There is also the need to work more on education, reduce sentiment and reorientate the youths and productively engage them.
“There is need to engage the youths educationally and vocationally, they must be productively engaged to shun cultism.
“There is need to involve the traditional rulers in solving the cultism problems. We cannot eradicate it but it can be reduced. We need to reorientate them at regular interval and appeal to godfathers that are sponsoring them to desist from such act”, he stated while proffering solutions to tackling cultism and youth restiveness.
On why people should vote for him, Prince Ademola stated, “I am here to serve the people and this has been my vision for quite some time. I had gone round my constituency to know the needs of my people”.
“There is need for effective grassroots government and also providing the people with what they need. I will engage in improving the lives of our people and take care of the aged. We plan to do this across various wards in my constituency and also encourage skill acquisition”.
On what he’s going to do about compensation for the victims of house demolition, the AD candidate advised the people to always get to know the state of the land that they are buying.
While stating that government always compensate people for demolition of their properties, he maintained that he will not tolerate any demolition in his constituency.
On his plans for less privilege and security, he said that he will place special focus on less privilege and elderly people and also work towards improving the security by working with the local vigilance groups.
“I have been accessible to my people and I will continue to do that when I am elected.
“Legislative work is very demanding and part time cannot work. There is still lots of work to be done to put our system aright”, he stated.
While responding to the question on youths inclusion and adequate feedback, he stated “I know that human wants are insatiable. As a lawmaker, I will do my best to satisfy my people to the best of my capacity.
“I have the vision to serve. Our party is planning an effective government in order to give the people what belong to them. We are going to have social protection plan if we are elected to represent the people”, he stated in his closing remarks.
Prince Adeyemi Odofin, the ADC candidate for Ikorodu Constituency I, is a veteran photographer and Security camera installation expert. He is from the Lasunwon ruling house in Ikorodu.
In his own response to what he will do to appropriate projects to his constituency in the budget, he stated:
“I will try my best to liaise with other legislators in getting the interest of my people protected.
Odofin lives at Dele Kuti Street, Ebute in Ikorodu West LCDA and hangs out at Ebute and Ikorodu.
He advocated for a ferry service that can move goods and people in and out of Ikorodu as a major way to resolving traffic gridlock.
On ways to improve infrastructure development in Ikorodu division, he stated:
“We have to call on royal fathers and political leaders to work with the representatives in appealing to the government to increase allocations to councils in Ikorodu which at present is very small and cannot be used to achieve any meaningful development”.
On cultism and youth restiveness, Prince Odofin stated that the local vigilance group, Onyabo, needs more support to deal with the situation. He pledged to give them adequate support.
Canvassing people to vote for him as their representative in Ikorodu Constituency I, he stated that he would work towards empowering artisans through vocational training and empowerment.
“I will work with artisans in organising vocational training”.
While stating that people need to be more careful in supporting government acquisition policy for developmental purposes, the ADC candidate stated that he would plead for compensation for the victims of demolition if elected.
Odofin also pledged to give support to the less privilege by granting them children scholarship.
Responding to question on being accessible to his people if elected, he stated:
“Before going into politics, I am a street boy and will remain that after being elected as your representative”.
In his closing remarks, Prince Odofin stated that, “I will use my representation to focus on the less privilege, protection of our cultural heritage and empowerment of the artisans”.
Mrs Oyebanjo Adeola, ADC candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II, is a Sociologist and a marketer. She is also into consultancy service and real estate management.
According to her, she came into politics “towards ensuring a better Constituency II”.
Like most of the candidates, she also stated that she would stay off the budget passage if it does not represent the interest of her people.
The ADC Candidate, who lives in Ijede, stated that population is a major cause of traffic gridlock due to the massive movement of people into Ikorodu.
“We are going to see to the expansion of roads and also makes good usage of the waterways”, she stated when asked about solutions to the traffic situation in Ikorodu.
Adeola considered investment in people as the most important infrastructure while she also pledged to sponsor bill that would enhance the socio-economic status of her constituents.
“I will work with other stakeholders for inclusive governance, ensure that we have good health centres with facilities and also work towards improving education”, she stated while highlighting her programmes.
On cultism and youths restiveness in the division, the ADC candidate stated that, “There is need to create social programmes and employment for them and also include them in governance”.
Adeola also added that she is going to create an atmosphere for honest feedback in the all aspects and run an inclusive representation.
On demolition of house for right of way by the government, she was of the view that people of the constituency should always check with appropriate ministry before buying land to know if the land is not under acquisition or blocking right of way while adding that, “I will lobby for those deserving to get compensation”.
She also promised that her agenda is less privilege friendly.
“I will partner with civil societies in the discharge of my duty as a legislator to carry the youths along and provide them with necessary social programmes”.
As a parting shot, Mrs Adeola stated, “I am going to include everybody in my representation because when elected, I will be voice of the society”.
Mr Balogun Rotimi, Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN candidate in Ikorodu Constituency I, who is a financial expert and also deals in property consultancy service, stated that he came into politics because he is not happy with the rate of unemployment and social vices among others around him.
He assured that he would fully represent his people’s interest in ensuring that a favourable budget that would transform their lives is passed.
Rotimi lives at Odogunyan and hangs out in and around the Lagos State Polytechnic environment.
On the perennial traffic situation, Mr Rotimi stated, “We are going to encourage mass transit instead of small buses and make sure commercial drivers follow the traffic rules and also ensure that the transportation on waterways becomes effective through PPP .
He stated that he would work towards maximising waterways facilities and create jobs in his constituency.
Rotimi suggested positive engagement of the youths, good education, creation of sporting facilities and continuous sensitization as solutions to cultism and youths restiveness in the society.
On why people should vote for him, the ANN candidate stated, “My aim is to ensure that our landed properties in Ikorodu are more valued. That is what makes Lekki, Ajah and other places what they are today”.
On demolition of houses, he pledged to work towards ensuring that the government employs a human face approach in its policy in this regard and also provides succor for the victims.
Rotimi, who stated that he would assist the less privilege through scholarship, also called for state police to deal with the issue of insecurity. He also pledged to give support to local security arrangement.
“I have also been accessible and will continue to be accessible. I will always listen to the youths and give them maximum support”, he assured while reacting to question on accessibility and inclusion of youths in his representation.
“The easiest way to include youths in government is through sports. Engage them in different competitions because they have talents”.
Also in his reaction to part-time legislature, Rotimi stated that :
“I support part-time legislature. We need to divide the constituency like a company to get the work done. We have to run it like a business using the people. You must get people working for you.
“I will teach people how to catch fish and not give them fish”, Rotimi stated in his closing remarks.
Barrister Paul Okoro, Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II, who is a lawyer, stated that he never had secondary school education but promised good representation and assistance for the down trodden.
He lives at Offin and hangs out in and around Offin and Igbogbo.
“I will focus on the projects that are beneficial to my people and lobby other lawmakers to enable them see why they should give my people priority.
“I know what it takes me to drive from Ikorodu to Lagos on daily basis. The cause is the ineffectiveness of the traffic officers to control traffic. The feeder roads are also not in good shape.
“I will make sure that LASTMA and others traffic personnel do their jobs no matter whose ox is gore. Recently, the governor arrested some traffic offenders. Mr Fashola also did the same while he was the governor. I will also make sure that we make efforts to make transportation through waterways effective” , he stated while proffering solutions to traffic situation.
Okoro pledged to work towards a good and affordable health care service and also ensure educational system that would run on scholarship”.
He advocated for proper education in tackling the issues of cultism and youths restiveness.
On why he should be voted for, the ANN candidate stated, “I believe I am the most qualified for the job considering the fact that I am a lawyer by training and practice. I have been feeling the pulse of the down trodden. I will champion laws that will make life meaningful for my people”.
“I will change some laws like the one that makes people to pay to the government for sinking boreholes. I provide virtually everything for myself at home and these are basic things that the government ought to provide for the people”.
On the demolition of houses, he stated:
“They said that they are looking into the issue, but when I get into Assembly, we shall look into it properly again and ensure that people are compensated.
“Ordinarily, before the property are demolished, the government ought to have compensated the affected people. The demolition has put people at a disadvantage”.
Stating his plans for the less privilege, Okoro stated:
“One of my priorities is education and I am going to provide for the less privilege. I am going to start an endowment fund to fund their education.
On security in his constituency, he stated :
“We are going to invest in security and support the security personnel for effective work in securing the lives and properties of the people.
He promised to always be accessible to the constituents when elected into office.
On part-time lawmaking, Okoro disagreed. In his proposal, he state :
“I don’t agree with part-time legislature. We are just developing and we still need more time to work. We should keep full attention for legislative work. The critics online are just copying what is being done in advanced countries not minding the complexities of our own clime.
He challenged the youths to be determined in getting involved in governance.
“Nobody will give you any chance but you have to take it. Our youths must be ready to work and get themselves involved” , he said while charging the youths.
“In his own closing remarks, he stated that, “ANN is for new Nigeria. We are coming to make a difference. We are coming to do things differently with good governance. You cannot keep doing things same way and expect different results”.
Unlike others, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly and the sitting representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, was allowed to answer some questions that are directed to the government by the students and also right of rebuttal to other candidate’s submission.
Agunbiade, a former teacher, former students’ union leader and a lawyer, is a three term lawmaker and he’s seeking re-election for the fourth term.
Responding to a question on what he will do if the budget proposal does not favour his constituency and how he has been influencing development through same process since he has been in the house, he stated:
“The major thing is to lobby before the budget proposal is submitted to the Assembly and that is the reason why we (members of the Lagos State House of Assembly) have been organizing Town Hall meetings to get inputs from our constituencies. It is not proper to abstain because the house only needed 2/3 majority to pass any bill. With your support or not, the bill will be passed if the house garnered 2/3 number of members to vote.
“It is through the process of lobbying that I get the Awolowo road reconstructed. Likewise the Solomade and others. It is also with lobbying that we get the government to approve Agric-Isawo-Arepo and Igbogbo-Ijede roads for reconstruction”.
He stated that he has been living at Grammar school in Ikorodu and hangs out in every part of his constituency because, “I need to know my people and they need to know me too”, he stated.
On traffic congestion, he stated:
“Two things are responsible for traffic problem. These are the conditions of inner roads and increase of population and its effects on the available facilities.
“The government is trying to address the state of inner roads with the two roads being constructed per council every year. We are trying to reconstruct the major roads. The government is also trying to construct new roads from Agric to Owutu and Igbogbo to Ijede”.
He added that the APC government is working on waterways as alternative route in and out of Ikorodu.
Speaking on what he considered as the most important infrastructural development needed in Ikorodu, Hon. Agunbiade stated that Ikorodu remains the least developed out of the original five divisions in Lagos State because the division refused to have more councils while others did.
“Ikorodu would have grown more than this if we had allowed it to be split into more local governments. While others are creating more local governments, we did not allow that in Ikorodu and we undermined ourselves. The old Ikeja division today has 7 councils with 14 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, while Ikorodu remains one with 2 members of the House.
“It was Asiwaju Tinubu that tried to help us with the creation of five additional councils but the PDP government led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo opposed it and today we have 5 LCDAs instead of full-fledge councils. Ikorodu should wake up from sentiments and ready to develop itself”, he charged.
On cultism and youths restiveness, the ranking lawmaker stated that :
“The cause is multifaceted. It was land issue that promoted it years back when Ajagungbales engaged our young men on lands, armed them to fight against their opponents. That was the crisis that was exported into our communities.
“I spare-headed a law against Ajagbungbales and since then, that has reduced land crisis and invariably, cultism.
“There is need for the federal government to work on electricity to power companies to create employment and reduce crime. If companies at the Odogunyan Industrial Estate work as before, most of the youths would have been engaged. Although, the APC government at the centre is trying to correct the problem of electricity and we should be given another chance.
“We have also created Lagos State Neighbourdhood Watch through a law passed by the Assembly to tackle insecurity. This is in addition to our support for the local vigilance group in Ikorodu.
On why he should be re-elected, Hon. Agunbiade said:
“I have been in the house for three consecutive time and I am the only person that is more qualified to go back and represent my people. I want to go back because legislative work is based on experience and I have the required experience and Ikorodu will be better positioned with my re-election.
“Since I have been elected, I have provided artisans with interest free loan. The last was the N20million loan I got with my partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF). I have provided employment for over 50 youths in Ikorodu from 2015 till date.
“I have been organizing Best Brain Contest to engage our students in primary and secondary schools, sponsored bills to protect my people and intervened in three communities to prevent demolition of houses through advocacy and lobbying among others.
“Assembly is land of vast experience and I have garnered enough and I can further help my people with my re-election.
“As the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, I reviewed over 250 laws which have been assented to by the government”.
On demolition of houses and failure of the government to pay compensation, he stated:
“Those concerned protested to the Assembly and we are looking into the issue with the government and by the grace of God, they shall get their compensations.
Reacting to Barr. Okoro allegation that the state government did not follow due process before demolition, Hon. Agunbiade stated:
“Lagos government is procedural and before any demotion, there is always process. Many of the victims have received their compensations and those who have not will definitely get it”.
Responding to question asked by a secondary school student on why the legislators in the state always allow the executive to go scot-free with illegal acts, he stated:
“That is not true about the Lagos State House of Assembly. We have been querying government officials on many issues. We do summon them to the Assembly for explanations on issues needing clarifications.
“But not all the activities of the legislature are on the plenary but there is always interaction that goes on from time-to-time”.
Reacting to another question on the controversies surrounding the 2019 budget, the Majority Laeder of the House stated:
“I am going to repeat what is already in the public domain. The practice is that the executive must lay before the House the budget estimate and we have said that the governor has not laid the estimate for us to consider it. The House is willing and ready to receive the governor whenever he is ready to lay the document before the House.
“There is no quarrel, we just want to do what is right in a mature way”.
On his plans for the less privilege and security, the lawmaker said :
“Lagos State is practically empowering the police in the state. We are providing them with guns, ferry and other necessary supports.
“We also have Neighbourhood Watch through which we are also providing employment for the youths. We are also supporting local security apparatus.
“The government in the state is building schools and providing facilities. We are ensuring that our education is affordable for common man.
“The government is taking care of the less privilege through a ministry and we are ready to continue with it. As a representative, I have also been doing my own intervention programmes in this respect”.
On being accessible and the proposal for making legislative work part-time, the experienced lawmaker stated:
“I am very accessible and since I have been elected, I go to work from Oke Ota-Ona and return every day. The phone I was using before becoming a lawmaker is the same I am still using. My people have access to me and I will continue to be accessible to them.
“There are some social media critics who are always complaining. Enough publicity was done for this programme, how many are here today? Are they not being carried along? We do stakeholders meeting every year but you will only see market men and women and artisans. Some people are just sheer critics”, he stated.
“To those calling for part-time legislature, representation is not just in the Assembly, if they know the works of the legislature, they will not call for part-time in this regard.
“There is adequate and effective technology where they do that” , he added.
In his closing remarks, he stated, “We are not promising you any other thing than taking you to the next level. You don’t change a winning team”.
Meanwhile, the campaign team of the PDP candidate for Ikorodu Constituency I, Mr Mukaila Lamina, has issued a press release to state reasons why he didn’t participate in the debate.
The release states thus:
“The debate coincided with the itinerary of our candidate which included a Muslim political interactive symposium; a campaign tour at Itamaga and myraids of meeting with traditional leaders within the community, meeting with the Lagos State leadership of the party among others.
“Prior to today, the organizers were duly informed of our candidate’s inability to honour the invitation due to the aforementioned.
“We hereby tender our unreserved apology to the good people of Ikorodu and the organizing team for any inconvenience our absence may have caused.
The campaign team pledged that its symbol will continue to engage the populace.
“We will continue as always to engage our populace on our plans for Ikorodu Constituency 1 exploring other medium.
