Kunle Adelabu
Issues relating to party supremacy within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu Local Government Area and good leadership took the centre-stage at the 3-Day Seminar/Conference which started in Ikorodu on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.
The seminar , which is being organized by the Hon. Wasiu Adesina led Ikorodu Local government, is being held at Ai Royal Hotel, Aga in Ikorodu and will run between Wednesday and Friday, November 8, 2019.
The theme of the seminar is , “Party Supremacy For Wards/LGAs Executives ln Ikorodu Local Government”.
Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, the Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, in his welcome speech at the opening of the seminar, stated that the 3-Day seminar was packaged for the upliftment of APC and establishment of good relationship among stakeholders.
“It’s a great pleasure for me to heartily welcome you all to this 3-day seminar which has been carefully packaged for the political upliftment of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, and also to highlight positive methods of harmonizing a good relationship between the stakeholders and our party” , Hon. Adeshina stated.
“This seminar is also aimed at sensitizing us on ways of improving our relationship with the executive and legislative arms in unison with the party members.”
The Council Chairman stated further that the seminar is also initiated to explain the challenges of modern democracy to the people at the grassroots.
“In the course of the seminar, the people at the grassroots will also be sensitised on the intricacy of modern day democracy while participants would be made to understand that the supremacy of the party is non-negotiable.
“I would also like to inform you that a training session has been prepared for all the stakeholders for the purpose of this seminar” , he said.
Hon. Adeshina also used the opportunity presented by the seminar to highlight the achievements of his administration in the social, economic and political affairs of Ikorodu community while he also pledged to continue to support the people through empowerment.
Also, he stated that his administration would continue to support the state government in achieving peace, security and development in the state.
“Ikorodu Local Government will continue its empowerment programmes to support trade and improve the lives of our people while party exco and members will also benefit from this largesse.
“I want to reiterate here that we are committed to the well-being of our people, and that our administration will continue to support the Lagos State Government to provide peace, security and greater development for our communities in lkorodu Local Government Area.
Hon. Adeshina equally sought for support from the people of Ikorodu for his administration.
“On the other hand, I would like to implore you all to continue to render your unflinching support, fervent prayers and show of love for this administration to further achieve greater accomplishments” he said.
The chairman of the occasion, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, commended Hon. Adeshina for the initiative.
He also emphasized the importance of party supremacy in a political system.
Meanwhile, the first speaker at the seminar, Dr Wale Adeyemi Suenu from the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU),while speaking on the topic, “Party supremacy and things a leader needs to do”, stated that:
“The supremacy of a party stems from natural origin defined within the context of liberal democratic principles”.
He stated that for party discipline to be maintained, individuals must be subordinate to the party, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower level is subordinate to the higher level; and the entire membership is subordinate to the central committee which represent the party”.
“All must operate within the party’s law, principles and tradition and there should be no sacred cow”, he added.
The lecturer further stated that party supremacy can be maintained by ensuring that party leadership operates in accordance with the laws, ideology and principles of the party.
The University don said that a political party is more than winning an election while he also emphasizing that a party must be disciplined for the supremacy of the party to prevail.
According to Dr Suenu, those elected on the platform of any party carry its image and added that their failures are also the party’s failure.
Mayor Deen Sanwoola, the Director – General of the iCare Foundation, the operational machinery of the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Babajimi Benson, while speaking on the topic, “Vital indices of good leaders”, stated that a leader must have certain identifiable criteria which must stand him or her out from the rest.
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and show the way” , Mayor Sanwoola stated.
According to him, a leader must possess five major qualities among many others.
“The ability to see what others cannot see or comprehend is important for a good leader. What stands you out to be called a leader is the vision that only you can see and in turn make others follow you to see it”.
Sanwoola, while stating that politics is game , opined that politicians and others in leadership positions outside politics must be people of integrity.
“Integrity is not a game but what must stand you out among others. This is very key for anybody aspiring for leadership positions” , he stated.
He enjoined those aspiring for political offices and other positions to always pray for humility if they do not want to lose relevance as soon as they gain it.
“Always endeavour to pray for humility whenever you are seeking for higher position. You must be humble because the lack of it would accelerate your loss of relevance and turn people against you”, he advised.
Sanwoola explained that he always endeavor to listen to people in his capacity as a political operative while also urging those in power, especially in political offices, to develop listening capacity.
He noted that the listening capacity of political office holders always drop as soon as they get to office.
“We are faced with many problems today simply because a lot of people in positions of power in government no longer listen to people. They are always in hurry.”
He warned those in position of power against taking hasty action based on the information they are fed with.
“I must also warn that while you are listening as a leader, you must also observe and verify information that you must have been fed with to determine its truthfulness or otherwise”.
Using personal experience, Mayor Sanwoola stated that he and his principal never act against anyone based on information given to them by another person.
While stating that a leader must have empathy, Sanwoola stated that:
“A good leader must feel the same way his followers and others are feeling to know their needs.
“As a leader of an entity, I managed downward and not upwardly. That is the only way to feel the same way those around you are feeling.
The IT expert also charged those in position of leadership to be strong, steadfast and ready to face challenges.
Alhaji Junaid Owokodu, former Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, in his paper, also stressed the importance of supremacy and discipline within a party.
