Kunle ADELABU
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat in group photograph with the three chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency I and other political office holders in the constituency after the parley
The Council chairmen and all other political office holders in Ikorodu Constituency I yesterday on Monday 4, resolved to collectively work towards total victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ikorodu Constituency Assembly seat candidate, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade in the coming Governorship and State Assembly elections slated for March 9.
The three council chairmen – Hon. Wasiu Adedeji Adesina (Ikorodu Local Government), Hon. Adeola Adebisi Banjo (Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area) and Hon. Jumoke Jimobo-Ademehin (Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area) made the pledge in a meeting with Hon. Agunbiade, held at the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat hall, Ikorodu.
Also at the meeting were the Council leaders, councilors, Secretaries to the Councils, Supervisory Councilors and Advisers in the three councils.
Branded exercise books were donated by the council chairmen to the campaign groups of Mr Babajide Sanwoolu and Hon. Sanai Agunbiade.
THE IMPACT gathered that the meeting was at the insistance of the last week’s directive by the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who gave a marching order to the party’s structure from the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), State Executives, Senatorial leadership, Local Government executives down to the Ward Executives to improve on the votes recorded during the Presidential /National Assembly elections and deliver their respective areas.
Speaking at the parley, Hon Adeola Banjo, the Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the March 9 elections and how to Mobilise support a for successful outing for all the APC candidates.
“We are gathered here today to discuss about the Governorship and State Assembly elections slated for March 9 and how to do it successfully.
“The marching order was issued by our national leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, that we must deliver our wards and units. It is a must for us to deliver if we are to keep our jobs.
Hon. Wasiu Adesina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government (Right), Hon. Jumoke Jimbo-Ademehin, Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA (2nd Right) and Hon. Adeola Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA (Left) presenting branded exercise books to Hon. Agunbiade at the parley
“The order affects GAC of the party, state officials down to the ward level. All hands must be on desk to ensure that our party’s candidates for the governorship and Assembly do not only win the coming elections but that we must deliver massively. “
While stating that Ikorodu, when compared with other parts of the state, did very well in terms of votes given to APC during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, he also bemoaned the low turnout during the elections.
“Out of the over 6million residents that collected PVCs in Lagos State, only about 20% voted in the last election. This is the same percentage that we recorded in Ikorodu where about 160, 000 people collected PVCs out of the over 300, 000 registered voters.
Princess Jumoke Jimbo-Ademehin, the Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, enjoined all the political office holders in Constituency I to put the APC slogan into practical and mobilise massively for the party’s candidates come March 9.
“Let’s go out there and talk to our people in our homes, streets, units, wards and councils to come out and vote on the election day.
“If all our party people had come out en masse during the Presidential election, it would have been another story.
“But the next election for the Governor and Assembly affects us directly and we must do everything to change the narrative by mobilizing and working together to get more people to vote”, she appealed.
Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Wasiu America, in his own remarks, stated that the parley has resolved whatever differences within the party in Ikorodu. .
“I am happy that we are gathered here today despite our differences. It shows that we are united by our party and by this, we have resolved whatever differences in the interest of our party.
“I charge you all to go out to your various wards and mobilise people for the elections on March 9.
“We should be thankful that we have the President, Senate and House of Representatives position in our kitty. Our next target is the Governorship and State Assembly and it has become very imperative for us to work assiduously to win massively. “
He commended Hon. Agunbiade for his role in ensuring easy passage for chairmen from Ikorodu whenever they are summoned to the Assembly.
“I must commend Hon. Agunbiade for his intervention in our quick clearance whenever chairmen in Ikorodu are summoned to the Assembly.
“I am assuring Hon. Agunbiade and Mr Sanwoolu that we shall deliver Ikorodu Central for them come March 9. “
In his reaction, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, commended the three council chairmen and other political office holders for the meeting.
He called for collaboration in order to win the coming Governorship and Assembly elections for APC.
“The Saturday elections are not for Sanwo-Olu or Agunbiade but for our party, APC, and we must be united in winning it.
“The election is not about SOB Agunbiade but for Ikorodu because the position is not for me as an individual but for our party and the betterment of our division”, he stated.
“Our focus must be about Ikorodu and its people.”
Hon Agunbiade acknowledged that there is no how differences can be erased, while also clarifying that he is not arrogant but a practical person.
“I’m not arrogant but a very practical person. I love engaging people and saying it as it is.
“There is no doubt that we cannot do without offending one another but we must allow the interest of the party to prevail at all time. “
He added that he has been going out with his team to campaign ceaselessly for the party and that he is assured of victory for APC candidates.
“I love practical politics by engaging the people directly. From my findings, these people are not saying that they are not going to vote for us but they just want us to interact with them. They want to sit with us and discuss issues in their areas which we have been taking note of.
“That is the dynamism of politics”.
While challenging Ikorodu electorate, Hon. Agunbiade stated that more development and opportunities would only come to Ikorodu division if the people votd en masse for the Governorship and Assembly candidates of his party.
“Ikorodu population is more than any part of Lagos State but how can we prove that if we don’t register and vote?
“My vote alone in 2015 was about 45, 000, why are we now struggling to garner 40, 000 votes when we have the people? We need to work together in mobilizing and canvassing our people to come out and vote for APC all through and move to the next level with us.
“We can only clamour for more positions, schools, health centres, employment among other benefits only if we are able to vote for the winning party. We can beat Alimosho in terms of votes if we are ready to work. “
Hon. Wasiu, the Council Leader, Ikorodu West LCDA and Mr Yusuf Gbadebo, the Supervisory Councilor, Works, in Ikorodu Local Government, in their respective contributions, called for concerted efforts in achieving victory for APC come March 9.
