Kunle Adelabu
-Royal fathers call for peaceful election, charge candidate to implement promises.
Mr Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, the Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Lagos East bye – election slated for Saturday, December 5, 2020, has stated that his primary legislative agenda, if elected, will be restructuring of the polity.
The Ikorodu – born estate developer also said that he intends to fight for the local government in getting back their constitutional functions and rights to collect certain revenue which, according to him, has been usurped by the state government, thereby, rendering the third tier of government functionless in discharging there primary duties.
He made these promises during his tour of palaces in Ikorodu Division on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, as part of his senatorial campaign.
Gbadamosi and his team, which comprised of hundreds of party members visited the palaces of Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Sekumade of Ipakodo, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, among others to receive royal blessings and sell his agenda.
He also presented his party’s flag to the royal fathers, while also appealing to them to help in ensuring that their subjects exercise their civic obligations on Saturday by trooping out to vote.
“We are not here to introduce ourselves but to introduce our agenda for the East Senatorial District”, Gbadamosi said.
“What we intend to do in one word is restructuring. We are ready to apply whatever pressure, cajoling and persuasion to engineer the restructuring of this country”, he said while presenting his agenda.
“The current constitution is not one that Nigerians are happy with. It was a document bequeathed on us by the former Minister for Justice and Attorney – General of the federation under late Gen. Sanni Abacha. He inserted many contradictions because he did not know what he was doing”.
He also decried the security situation in the country which he described as part of imbalances in Nigeria that requires restructuring.
“That is the bane of our country. What we are witnessing today in Nigeria is unusual. A situation where a king is being chased out of palace by hoodlums is not good.
“I have never seen a situation where a king who was returning from a meeting was accosted and killed.
“The root cause of all these problems facing our country is injustice inherent in the constitution”, he said.
“An example of injustice is what Lagos is facing regarding VAT. Though, we are not drunkard but we do enjoy ourselves with beer, wine and others.
“Whereas, those in the north claim that their religion does not allow them to drink alcohol that we are drinking and are destroying those that are engaging in alcoholic business, yet they are getting more from VAT that has been deducted from our consumption of alcohol here in the south.
“Lagos State alone is contributing 55% of the entire VAT collectible in Nigeria, while the other 35 states contribute the remaining 45%”, he said.
“Once this is paid to the federal government, they only allocate 3% to Lagos”.
Gbadamosi said that a situation where the federal is perpetuating injustice and depriving the state governments their sources of revenue is also making the state do the same to the local councils.
“Because the state governments cannot get maximum revenue from the VAT, that has made them to also deprived the local governments their own sources of revenue and power as stipulated under Section 1 of the first schedule of the constitution.
“In Lagos, the government created illegal parastatals and organs like LAWMA, Lagos State Market Board, Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agencies, Land Use Charge as applied to residential properties and Lagos State Abattoir Management Board, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)”.
The PDP candidate also stated that he will ensure that local governments get back there constitutional powers to make revenue from the state government if elected to represent Lagos East in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Once I am elected into the Senate, I will bring back all that we are being denied and I intend to use the instrumentality of the constitution as much as we disagree with the document”, he pledged.
“As fraudulent as it is, that constitution provides certain functions for the local governments but those functions have been usurped and trampled upon. Section 1 of the first schedule of the constitution says that our local government is responsible for the outdoor signage and advertising, regulations and control thereof; establishment and control of markets, motor parks, abattoirs, valuation of private residents for the purpose of collecting a land rate, otherwise known as tenement rate”, he added.
“But in Lagos, we have been condoning all sorts of illegalities. Some people are in control of local government rights over the market and outdoor advertising and signage and are given to their children to manage trillions of naira which are going to one single family”, he alleged.
“Motor parks were given to one of their boys with hundreds of billions of naira belonging to the local government being collected.
“All these are supposed to be managed by the local government and the transportation which is bringing revenue of up to 25% of our total GDP in Lagos State is given to the union.
“Monies being generated in the state are not even distributed among its citizenry because it is all going to the state. All the money collected under the header of local government functions and responsibilities are collected by the state through emasculating the local councils, whereby residents are abusing those at the council level of not performing due to lack of funds.
“I will address this as soon as I enter the Senate as soon as possible”, he reiterated.
“Where all these affected our traditional institutions is that the local governments, under the constitution, are supposed to pay 5% of their revenues to the traditional rulers but when all their revenues have gone to the state, how do they pay you?
“This has also rendered our traditional rulers jobless”.
The senatorial candidate said that the state and country at large are at the crossroad and that there is need for quick decisions from the citizenry to decide where they want to go through their votes.
“It is an undignifying situation for all of us and we must quickly find a way of addressing that. I have done everything within my power as a private businessman and an individual to correct the imbalances in this state but there is little a single person can do. One needs access to the instrument of government.
“I want to appeal to the residents in your kingdom. They cannot be feeling unconcerned any more. We want them to troop out on Saturday to vote and make informed political decisions as to what direction they want their lives to go.
“We are at a cross – road not only in Ikorodu, Lagos East, but in the whole of Lagos State. We need to make a choice regarding which direction of the four roads that we want to go. We need to resolve if we should go further or go backward.
“Obviously, standstill is not an option. We have to move. We need to determine which direction we want to go.
“I still met the public water system in Ikorodu which was the only drinkable water at that time, boreholes that were made available are not filtered and are only made available for bathing, washing and for other domestic use.
“The development that started back then has stalled and as a son of Ikorodu, I can no longer bear it”, Gbadamosi said.
The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, narated a proverb in Yoruba that, “Nkan eniyan o n di meji, kinu eyan maa dun” (no one gets sad over increase in fortunes), to expressed his joy that the two leading senatorial candidates are Ikorodu- born politicians.
While stating that he is looking forward to the day that an Ikorodu indigene will be made the governor of the state, the Ayangbure charged all residents to take part fully in the Saturday election and vote their choice candidate.
“It was the demise of the former Senator (Sen. Adebayo Osinowo) that created the vacuum which the two leading parties have presented Ikorodu sons to fill.
“Though, I am still looking for the day that an Ikorodu indigene will emerge as the Governorship of Lagos State. Once we have a governor from Ikorodu, we can ask for anything and if such person fails in doing our bidding, we know how to deal with him”, Oba Shotobi stated.
“All these (Senatorial and other political positions) are still not the main target but we welcome them. We must accept this Senatorial position which is also an eminent political post.
“I thank all the chiefs that have come here today to welcome one of my sons. I thank our ancestors, ruling houses in Ikorodu and those that have been supporting the palace.
“It was last night (Tuesday) that I got to know about this visit and I have to delay my journey to Ibeju to accept one of my sons. The same love that I have for all my children is what I have been extending to all the political parties and politicians alike”.
While saluting Gbadamosi’s courage for his activities in seeking for good governance , Oba Shotobi also charged that Ikorodu should not be turned into an electoral battleground.
The royal father said that all that he wants for the division is that sons and daughters should help in its growth and development.
“I salute your courage, steadfastness and your truthful demands not just for Ikorodu but the entire Lagos State. I salute your courage and will continue to wish you all the best. You shall be successful”, he prayed while commending Gbadamosi.
“What I want for Ikorodu is progress and development. I don’t want our town to be turned into a political battleground. Both candidates presented by the two leading parties are from Ikorodu. You are all my children”, he stated.
The royal father stated that politicians should not make palaces a place they will be visiting only during the election period but that they should make it a place where they will be visiting frequently.
“I always tell you people that my palace is open for everyone. I don’t have anything to hide. You can always come and let us discuss.
“All that I demand from you is to make this election as peaceful as possible. The guidelines are there, let’s adhere to them strictly. I want to charge you to use your weapon which is your voters’ card judiciously in voting for your choice candidate”.
He also charged residents to ensure that they exercise their civic responsibilities by voting for a candidate of their choice for the Lagos East Senatorial position.
“Ensure that you search for it when you get home and use it to vote for the candidate of your choice on the election day.
“I thank the party for bringing Babatunde Olalere to me because he could not have been here by himself. It is the party that owns the position and not an individual. I am glad to see the party here today with him and I have to accept you, more so, that you have brought my son to me.
“Babatunde is one of our pride and I want you all to support him”.
Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, in his own royal remarks, said that the PDP Senatorial candidate is very well known to the palace and also appealed for a peaceful election.
“BOG (Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi) is very well known to us. He is very close to us and a son of this division. You have said many important things and there is none of them that we can throw away”, Oba Kasali said.
“I appeal to you all that we must be peaceful and not turn the election to war. Don’t let us give those looking for trouble to have the opportunity of perpetuating their evil plans”.
“There are still going to be many more elections after this coming election. The coming one must not be turned into a battle”.
Adeboruwa, like his Ikorodu counterpart, also charged Igbogbo residents to go out on Saturday to vote for any candidate of their choice.
“Let us go into the election peacefully. We, on our own part, are going to send a town crier into the town starting from tomorrow to urge our people to troop out on Saturday and vote for the candidate of their choice”, the royal father charged.
“Anyone that loves our state must go out on Saturday and vote. I pray that all the prayers that have been offered to you will make a positive impact on you. You shall not go with this election and everyone too”.
The Sekumade of Ipakodo, His Royal Majesty Oba Bashir Sotonwa, charged the Senatorial candidate to implement all his promises when he gets into the position.
He also enjoined politicians to make palaces where they will be visiting frequently to discuss issues and not where they only come to during electioneering period.
“I want to enjoin you that you must ensure that you implement and carry out all your promises when elected. If you cannot implement everything, make sure that we are seeing some of them that you are attending to”, Sekumade charged.
“We only get to see many of our politicians only during election and immediately after the election, we don’t see them again. This is not supposed to be so.
“You are supposed to keep in touch with palaces and other constituents to know what is happening in your grassroots. We are closer to the people in the grassroots than you people”, the traditional ruler added.
“Once you people are elected, you will only sit back in Abuja and be claiming that you have representatives in your constituency who we hardly see”.
Stating his expectations from the PDP candidate if he eventually gets elected, Oba Sotonwa called for restructuring, resolving the issue of insecurity and provision of referendum in the constitution on important national issues.
“We want you to push a lot of things for us when you are elected. There are germane national issues that are greatly troubling the country. One of them is the restructuring of the whole country. This is very important and we want you to help us when you get there”, Sekumade of Ipakodo told Gbadamosi.
“Another issue is security which calls for serious attention. It is quite sad that a traditional ruler in Ondo State who was returning from a meeting was kidnapped and it was his dead body that was recovered later. There is another case of a traditional ruler sent out of his palace in Lagos.
“You should consider State and Community policing as a way out of our security situation. These are national issues “, the royal father added.
“Another thing which I don’t know if we can include in our constitution is referendum. A situation where only our representatives in the House of Representatives and Senate are the only one to decide is not proper and not many people understand all their legislative processes”, he said.
“Important national issues should be subjected to a referendum but if it is not provided for in our constitution, we cannot hold such”.
The Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom and former Commissioner for Information, Lagos, Sir (Otunba) Ayodeke Elesho, commended the PDP candidate’s love for Ikorodu and charged him to ensure that he implement all his plans.
Otunba Elesho also charged politicians to make the country livable for common man.
Chief Taiwo Adekogbe, Chairman, PDP in Ikorodu Local government, while presenting Gbadamosi, said:
“I am presenting an Ikorodu son which our great party has chosen as its candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial by-election, although, the other party too is presenting an Ikorodu son too but our own, who is Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, is a full – fledged Ikorodu man”, he said.
“Our candidate will take the concerns of every citizen, especially traditional institutions, seriously. I can assure that he will deliver if he is voted into the office because as the chairman of the party, I will not leave him alone”.
Some of the PDP Chieftains that were part of the team that toured the palaces were Mr Taiwo Benedict, Vice Chairman, PDP, Lagos East, Alhaja Iyabo Odunsi, PDP State Women leader, Chief Aleshinloye, immediate past chairman, PDP Ikorodu LG, Mr Tajudeen Adegboola, Vice Chairman, PDP Ikorodu and Mr Femi Adinlewa, Publicity Secretary, PDP lkorodu.
