Mr Aro Moshood Abiodun popularly called ‘AMA’ is an aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) about two weeks. He emerged as the preferred choice of Ijede among other aspirants when he won the shadow primary election conducted by the leadership of the party.
Before now, Aro was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was the party’s candidate in the 2019 General Elections.
He studied Accounting at Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State owns many businesses in and outside Ikorodu Division is the Managing Director of AMA Hotel & Suites in Ijede.
Aro Abiodun who spoke with Kunle Adelabu, the Publisher/Reporter – in – Chief, THE IMPACT newspaper in Ijede on Monday, bore his mind on the shadow primary, other aspirants and Ijede position to the rotational arrangement.
While also appreciating the Chieftains of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in the Division, royal fathers and party leaders ih Ijede, the aspirant also appealed to the incumbent whose third term aspiration is seen as disruption to the rotational arrangement concerning the Ikorodu Constituency II seat. Excerpts:
THE IMPACT: About a week ago, you emerged as the winner of the shadow primary election conducted by the leadership of the All Progressives Party (APC), what is your reaction to this and also to aspirants whom we gathered has collected form against the agreement in Ijede?
AMA: Well, I will not be right to say that I am the winner, rather, we are all winners, I mean all the aspirants that participated in the shadow election including myself. The motive behind the shadow primary is just to have a common front going into the primary election proper coming up May 20, 2022. As you know, we have a very good political arrangement in Ikorodu Constituency II which zones the Assembly seat among the three major councils – Ijede, Igbogbo/Bayeku and Imota, for eight years each. The rotation is now coming back to Ijede. If not for the incumbent that is insisting on running, the nine that came out to contest for the Assembly seat could have just go to the field and sought it out. It is because, we don’t want Ijede to lose out that made us reached a reached a resolution that we all must have a common front which was unanimously agreed that anyone that win the shadow primary election would move to represent Ijede and will be supported by others.
Let me use this medium to appreciate my brothers that we contested together in the shadow primary election. I want to mention a very wonderful brother, Mr Alliasau Matti. I have spoken with him and he has pledged his 100% support and loyalty. There is HOA (Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun). This is another very wonderful man. He is a very good guy who called to congratulate and pledge his support to me 100%. He said that he is it together with me. Akeem Taoreed is also a very good brother, also Hon. Oshin, Mr Saheed, the Prince himself, he called me that same say that I was announced as the winner to congratulate and wish me well. He also assured me that I can count on him for support. I also want to appreciate my own dear brother, Alhaji Fathiu Salisu, who was away when the shadow primary was conducted but I called him after the shadow primary and we are going to be meeting soon. We are in this together because he also love Ijede passionately. I want to specially appreciate him for his support and roles he has played so far.
Even though, many people are saying that he has picked form but he has his own reasons. He has assured me that we are in this together and that Ijede will not go to the pool divided. I thank him.
I also want to appreciate our apex leaders for the roles that they have played so far and entire residents of Ijede. I am hopeful that we are going to the primary election with one mind and focus to get it done for Ijede and it shall come to pass by His grace.
THE IMPACT: Now that you are reaching out to other aspirants with the backing of the party leadership and residents, what will you be saying to Igbogbo/Bayeku and Imota in respect of the upcoming primary elections?
AMA: On this, I want to align with the position of the traditional rulers, including that of the Ranodu of Imota, whom I have visited. I want to appreciate the Ranodu of Imota, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Olubeshe of Ibeshe and the Regent of Ijede for their roles. They all stood their grounds that it is the turn of Ijede. Also the Apex leaders some of who I have met and they all told me that it is the turn of Ijede. Equally, the GAC Chieftains in Ikorodu has done tremendous job on the matter and relating signal from Lagos that the situation in Constituency II is turn – by – turn rule and that we should stick strictly by the rules that is already in existing that few of us came to benefited from.
I want to strongly belief that Ijede, igbogbo and Imota are into this arrangement together. Igbogbo and Ijede have insisted that Ijede ‘lokan’ (it is the turn of Ijede). They have said that we should go ahead with the plans on ground that stipulates eight years per each of the three major components which is a way for each of the component to enjoy the dividends of democracy across the constituency. People in Imota, Igbogbo and Ijede have been calling and showing solidarity that they are for the arrangement since you are the choice of Ijede people. They have been given me 100% support most especially, the Ranodu of Imota. I actually visited my father and the words he uttered are calming words. He assured that he won’t be the one to scatter the arrangement because I am the beneficiary now.
I know that we are getting support of Imota and Igbogbo, Ijede is ready for the primary with just one front
THE IMPACT: As the choice of Ijede and someone connected to Imota and Igbogbo, what will you be telling your brother and the incumbent, Hon. Nuruden Solaja?
AMA: It’s just for me to tell him that he is the originator of the turn – by – turn slogan and we need to appreciate him for that. He actually came up with it in 2019 when I contested against him in 2019 as the PDP candidate. He kept clamouring everywhere that its turn – by – turn and that others should allow Imota to take its turn and that was what I was told by the Apex leaders and traditional rulers in Ijede who stuck to the arrangement and stated that they can’t betray Imota even though my father is from Ijede and my mother is from Imota. I want to also appeal to my brother that he should show that he is truly ‘Omoluwabi’ and play it down. Everything that we do now will be history and coming to reflect tomorrow. He should avoid the negative reaction from the coming generation. I appeal to him to reconsider and accept that it is Ijede’s turn and he will be remembered as a man of honour. Thank you.
