Kunle Adelabu
-Otunba Abiru endorses candidacies, as youths identify with Daini
The Concerned Ikorodu Division Youths (CIDY) has called on the leadership and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and Ikorodu Division in particular, to allow for a level – playing ground for all aspirants in the primary election coming up on Saturday across the state.
The group, which is pushing for the ‘NotToYoungToRun’ agenda, made the appeal at a media parley in Ikorodu on Monday, May 24, 2021, when they adopted and presented two youthful Chairmanship aspirants – Hon. Azeez Jimoh Olosugbo and Prince Adedoyin Jokotex for support.
While Hon. Olosugbo, a former Council Leader, is aspiring to take – over as the Chairman in Ikorodu Local government, Prince Jokotex is doing the same in Ikorodu North LCDA.
The two young and vibrant aspirants presented their respective campaign agenda at the parley.
The concerned youths called on other youths, who, according to them, constitute the larger membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), across the Division to troop out en-masse on Saturday and vote for the two aspirants based on the history of their community engagements, capacity to deliver and agendas which are aimed at transforming Ikorodu.
CIDY also thanked the apex leaders of the party for adopting another youthful aspirant, Builder Sesan Daini, the incumbent chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, as a consensus candidate for re – election.
Mr Ola – Oluwa Godwin, the Co – Coordinator of CIDY, speaking at the media chat, said that the group is concerned in encouraging the youths in politics and supporting those among them that are vying for public positions.
“There has been a campaign for youths involvement in politics but it has always been a grandstanding or means of luring youths into campaign and after election, they are usually dumped”, he said.
“This time around, the youths have decided that they want to take their rightful position in the society. Every society is developed by the youths.
“In other climes, we have youths that are Presidents, Governors, Speakers and we believe that Lagos State, being the Centre of Excellence and the rallying point in the country, should push its youths forward.
Stating the parameters upon which they chose the two aspirants for support, Godwin said:
“We picked these two youths that are aspiring not by default, rather, they are tested, have capacity and they have also proven beyond every reasonable doubt that they are up to the task and truly, if they emerge, they will transform their respective councils”, he assured members of the public.
“They have their programmes well laid out and an agenda that they are aspiring for.
“One of them is the former House Leader at a point in time in Ikorodu Local Government and he managed the House very well and there are evidence to show for it. He has also been involving in community development activities.
“The other is a middle – level management staff in a multinational company and of course, he has been involving in community service.
He charged youths to use their strengths in APC to mobilize and vote for the two aspirants in the primary election.
“The essence of adopting these two aspirants is to rally all the youths in Ikorodu Division who formed a larger percentage of the 100, 000 registered APC members in the Division, mobilize them for these two aspirants and deliver the primary election for them”, he charged.
“What we are calling for is not for the leaders to give them preferential treatment but to allow a level – playing ground for them to prove themselves that they are ready to take up the mantle of leadership.
Mr Ola-Oluwa thanked the leadership of APC for considering Builder Sesan Daini, who is also a young man, as a consensus candidate for re – election in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
“One of such is Comrade Sesan Daini whose performances in office are there to speak for him and based on this, the leaders in that council decided to allow him return as a consensus candidate.
“He wouldn’t have any constraint in the primary election being the only person and all of us are happy for him”, he said.
“We are also imploring that these other two that have decided to take up the gauntlet should be allowed to test their strengths and we shall be given them all the necessary support and we can say confidently that they will never disappoint.
“It is our appeal to all and sundry; the apex leaders and other stakeholders within the APC, to allow for free, fair and rancor – free primary election.
“The youths in Ikorodu Division are ready for good governance, and also to take action and transform this division for better”, he said.
A member of the CIDY and leader of the #NotToYoungToRun movement, Comrade Samson Bisiriyu, also emphasized the need for free and fair primary election in APC to enable aspirants, particularly the young ones, to prove their strengths.
“We are using this medium to appreciate the leadership of the party in some councils where they have agreed on consensus aspirants who are young men, especially Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area in person of Hon. Daini Sesan, the incumbent chairman of the council.
“But where we have other youthful aspirants where there is no consensus like in Ikorodu Local Government and Ikorodu West LCDA, we are appealing to the leaders for a level – playing ground for all the aspirants to allow them to show their strengths in the primary election.
“If APC guidelines allow for young aspirants to obtain form, we think that they should also be allowed to participate in a free and fair primary election.
“We have been told that the youths should be involved in politics and we are enjoining them to adhere to due process in picking the candidates.
While also stating that the group is supporting quality young men for political positions, Samson also appealed to the leadership of the APC to encourage youth participation and involvement in politics by fair conduct in the process.
“We want the youths to be involved in governance and leadership, because other states have been experiencing this by allowing youths in various leadership positions”, he said.
“We have picked these two youthful aspirants who will be contesting for the Chairmanship positions in the primary election because they are competent and credible.
“They have agendas for the youths and the community at large which are genuine.
“We are using this medium to appeal to the Apex leaders in Lagos State and Ikorodu Division to allow youths to contest against others freely and fairly.
“We are also appealing for consideration in political office appointments for youths after the election”, he appealed.
The immediate past Chairman of the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru who has been supporting youths and encouraging them to get more involved in politics, charged party members and residents of Ikorodu to support the two youthful aspirants.
He said that the two young aspirants are proud of Ikorodu and that they have agendas that would benefit the Division.
“We are gathered here to present the youths that we want to support. Someone said that the future of the nation resonates with hope if the youths are well cherished and taken care of”, Otunba Abiru.
“The first thing any nation should do is to nurture its youths, take care of them and develop them intellectually so that they can hold the fortune of the country very well.
“I am proud of these two (aspirants being supported by the youths). They are not yet in government but they are talking about partnership which is one defect that is discernible among the current chairmen.
“I want to appeal to everyone that has the privilege of being here today that, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. Go out there and show that we have these gentlemen to turn things around and that it is not just some people that are raising their hands. Endorsed for what? Endorsed for doing nothing?
“For the past decades, we have been recycling the same old politicians, fortunately and unfortunately, we expect a different outcome which is very unrealistic because, we cannot continue to do the same thing in the same manner and expect a different outcome”, the former Permanent Secretary/Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly said.
While also adopting the two youthful aspirants and presenting them to the public, Otunba Abiru said:
“We are presenting these youths as test – cases in this coming election. The youths are not asking for any special privilege because they believe that they are in the majority but they are only asking the leaders to provide a level – playing ground for each aspirant to test his or her popularity.
“I want to appeal again to our voters, this is an opportunity that we have – Olosugbo and Jokotex are our symbols and pride and we must not fail them. Their successes are in our hands and by the special grace of God, we shall sing victory songs come May 29”, he said.
Hon Olosugbo, presenting his campaign agenda for Ikorodu, said that he has been to the nooks and crannies of lkorodu to interact with people and to tell them his programmes.
“Our campaign agenda for the chairmanship position is aimed at repositioning Ikorodu Local Government“
He acknowledged the founding fathers of Ikorodu and past political office holders for their contributions.
Olosugbo, who was a former Councillor, Majority Leader and Council Leader of Ikorodu Local Government, said that the council can do better, hence, his agenda setting.
While stating that he wrote and sponsored more than seven Bye – Laws during his time as a lawmaker in Ikorodu Local government, expressed his displeasure that the succeeding council administration has not deemed it necessary to implement those laws.
He presented his agenda on IGR, Agriculture, Infrastructural developments, Education, Employment, Traffic management and Investment among others.
Olosugbo said that he would partner with Ikorodu North and other LCDAs if elected.
In his own speech, Prince Adedoyin Jokotex said that he is running for the office of the Chairman of Ikorodu North LCDA because he has conducted surveys and understands the council’s challenges.
He commended the party for giving young aspirants the opportunity to aspire, represent their people and demonstrate their capacities.
While commending the past Council Chairman and administrators for their contributions in developing Ikorodu North LCDA, he added that there is always room for improvement which is the rsason he’s vying for the Chairmanship position.
He said that he would impact on Quarterly Executive/Parliamentarian meetings, Youth Employment, Improving Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Agriculture, Environment, Education, IGR, Infrastructures and Traffic Management among others.
He also assured that he would rebuild trust in governance to enable residents, private corporations and NGOs to have faith in government.
