Kunle Adelabu
An aspirant for the sole seat of Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Matti Olakunle Alliasau, has stated that it is the turn of the Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to take its shot at the Assembly seat in accordance with the rotational arrangement in the constituency.
He and other residents of Ijede called on Imota, which currently occupies the coveted seat, to respect the political agreement and return the support extended to them in 2015 when the incumbent, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, emerged.
They spoke at the official declaration of Matti’s aspiration to represent the Ikorodu Constituency in the next dispensation, to Ward members.
Ayegbami Street in Ijede, the venue of the rally, witnessed massive turnout of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ijede residents.
Matti, who said that he and others supported Hon. Solaja who is the incumbent occupant of the seat from Imota, added that he grew up to know about the rotational system jointly put in place by leaders in Ijede, Igbogbo/Bayeku and Imota LCDAs.
“On the issue of rotational arrangement, I want to be quoted clearly on it. The issue is a matter for the elders and leaders of our party. I grew up hearing and understanding the concept of the political arrangement”, he said.
“It was agreed that the three major towns in Ikorodu Constituency II – Ijede, Igbogbo and Imota, should rotate the Assembly seat among themselves and that each of them can only have a shot at the Assembly seat for two consecutive terms only.
“When it was the turn of Imota which Hon.Nurudeen Solaja represented, I, standing before you, was the one that was his Coordinator in Ijede. I stood by him during the time because I knew that it was the turn of Imota then”, Matti recalled.
“We started the mobilization and campaign for him with late Elesho at the late Oba Akilo’s house. There was also our sister, Mrs Fesomu and some others who also contributed too. That was the only place that we were meeting to advance Hon. Solaja’s aspiration in Ijede.
“We were the one that started the meeting to ensure that he (Hon. Solaja) was elected and Imota’s turn to present candidate for the Assembly seat, became fruitful.
“The main reason for the meeting then and what we were campaigning for to the Ijede people was that it was the turn of Imota and that there is need for Ijede people to support that”.
The aspirant, however, appealed to the incumbent to allow Ijede serves its term after the expiration of his own tenure next year.
“Whatever position that anyone holds is a privilege and we must recognize that as such. He (Hon. Solaja) has played his own part”, Matti said.
“He has been able to use the position to impact on Imota in terms of creating employment for them. Now that it is the turn of Ijede, he should allow us to use our slot to impact on Ijede and the entire Constituency II.
“We are going to use the seat to improve Constituency II as a whole and at the same time, make our people feel the impact of our representation.
“That is how they have been doing it. This Assembly seat will not elude us. We are going to get the seat to return the glory of Ijede and bring back greatness to the Constituency II.
“We need political power to achieve greatness in Ijede and God has given us the grace. It is now the turn of Ijede to represent the Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly and I am offering myself to be your representative.
“We are using all that we have in terms of human and material resources to liberate Ijede and also make the town great”.
Mr Taiwo Kuye, a three time Ijede APC Secretary, also speaking on the rotational arrangement in Constituency II, said that the political consensus was reached among leaders in Ijede, Igbogbo and Imota.
He said that Alhaji Danmole who was the Chairman, Lagos State Arts & Culture then, Alhaji Sodiq Onilenla, Baba Golden Jay, Alhaji Olorunishola Amusa are among leaders from Ijede with leaders from Igbogbo and Imota made the agreement on the rotational arrangement
“The arrangement made at that time is still there and not yet erased. That is what we are standing on in Ijede”, he said.
“When Hon. Rotimi Sotomiwa, who represented Constituency II from Igbogbo, died in office after spending about two and half years, it was someone from Igbogbo that completed his term and my boss, Hon. Nosimot Akinsola was elected for another four years to complete the two terms for Igbogbo as the representative of Constituency II in the Assembly.
“When she finished her tenure, I told her that I cannot support her for a third term because it’s against the spirit of the rotational arrangement and that was what caused our disagreement. I was her Coordinator then in Ijede and I told her that it was the turn of Imota.
“The party primary was held and we thank God that it went to Imota at that time and this time around, Imota should not breach the arrangement or deny Ijede that gave them full support when it was their turn”, Mr Taiwo said.
In the same vein, Alhaja Kehinde Amusa Iya Ase, said that it is the turn of Ijede to produce the next representative for the Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
