Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, the Divisional Chairman, APC Ikorodu Division, was a former Chairman of lkorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
He was also a former aspirant for the Ikorodu Federal House of Representatives seat in 2015 but lost the primary election to the incumbent. He also aspired for the Ikorodu Chairmanship position.
Otunba Tijani was a former teacher before he became the first Executive Vice Chairman of the Ikorodu North LCDA.
In this interview with Kunle Adelabu, Publisher/Reporter – in – Chief, THE IMPACT newspaper, Otunba Tijani spoke on the controversy surrounding the APC Chairmanship seat between him and Alhaji Murisiku Ajisebutu, recently concluded APC primary elections and the plans to reconcile aggrieved aspirants of the party, location of the INEC office in Ikorodu and 2023 general election. Excerpts:
THE IMPACT: Let me congratulate you on this befitting party secretariat compare to what it was before. Let me ask you sir, how does it feel being side – by – side with the Secretariat of the main opposition party, PDP, which is coincidentally in the other compound which used to be APC Secretariat?
Otunba Tijani: That makes the whole thing very interesting. With this now, we will observe and if after five to six months,there is no clash, that will show tolerance in the leadership of the two parties, but if there is one of the two that cannot accommodate the other, it would show in their behaviors and actions for people to see. Existing side – by – side doesn’t bring any problem because we are all one. We are all from Ikorodu and that binds us together and even greater than the party because we are from the same source.
THE IMPACT: In the built up to the just concluded party primary elections, there were controversies over the Divisional Chairmanship of the APC between yourself and Alhaji Murisiku Ajisebitu. There was also the issue of Abuja saga when party delegates went for the Convention. Who is the authentic APC Chairman in lkorodu Division and what is the true position of things?
Otunba Tijani: Well, there is no controversy. There has never been any from day one. The party constitution recognizes what we call consensus candidature and the leadership in Ikorodu came together and considered some interested aspirants and I was endorsed and adopted as the party chairman for Ikorodu Division.
THE IMPACT: But Alhaji Ajisebutu is claiming that he is the authentic APC Chairman. He said that he emerged at a Congress held at the Ita Elewa Youth Centre and that his name is on the list with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and that is name is also recognized by the party in Abuja?
Otunba Tijani: I am not aware of this. He has not spoken to me in respect of this. He is a brother. I never heard that there was any Abuja list except when you mentioned it to me now. We only have one list from Ikorodu which was endorsed and approved by all the leaders in Ikorodu including our Senator, Mikhail Abiru and our member of the House of Representatives, Jimi Benson and other leaders like the former Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and the GAC member, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun and others. I was endorsed, cleared and presented by all the leaders in Ikorodu to the State party secretariat in Lagos and later to Abuja. I am not aware of any controversy in respect of that.
THE IMPACT: Let us look at the recently concluded APC party primary in Ikorodu. At a point, multiple aspirants claimed victory in both Ikorodu Constituency I and II, until the party presented its preferred candidates with INEC forms, what is the situation now?
Otunba Tijani: Senator Mikhail Abiru has been returned unopposed. Babajimi Benson is the candidate for House of Representatives. He got the return ticket through a landslide victory. The primary election produced Gbolahan Ogunleye for Constituency I while Aro Moshood is the flag bearer for Constituency II.
THE IMPACT: The election actually caused serious friction within the party, and this has left many aspirants and members of your party aggrieved. What is your party doing about this?
Otunba Tijani: Coincidentally, that is why I am at the party secretariat (on Wednesday, July 6, 2022) to begin the reconciliation with other party leaders. There is no election that would not be followed by complaints and all the rest. It is the party that would straighten things up and that is what we came here to do and that is what we are going to do by God grace.
THE IMPACT: Let us look at the major opposition party, the People Democratic Party (PDP), which also held their primary elections across board recently and they are saying that they are ready to dislodge the APC, what do you have to say about this and how prepared is the APC for the next general elections?
Otunba Tijani: It is left for any party to say what they like. If you are a wrestling fan, the eventual winner and loser usually boast before the match. There is no way that you would not boast that you can beat your opponent, but when you get to the field, you would find out that the one that has been boasting the more will be defeated. Same with boxers too. Politics and elections too are like a game too. APC is not afraid of anyone and we are fully on the ground. If you look at it deeply. Who is left in the PDP, let’s start from Ikorodu? They don’t have anyone on ground again. They have all come back to the APC and we are all one now in the APC. By God grace, Ikorodu will deliver nothing less than 90% in the election for the APC.
THE IMPACT: One major issue from both the PDP and APC primaries is the Delegate System which party members and general electorates are condemning, stating that it is not representing enough, what do you have to say to this?
Otunba Tijani: That is party delegate system and that is what we have been doing with the State, LGA and Ward executives voting which is broader than the delegate system that was introduced in the last primary election against the broader system. Unfortunately, the whole thing changed from the top. My secretary and l were to be delegates but all of a sudden, we were told that statutory delegates would no longer be allowed to vote except elected delegates. And don’t forget that even at that, the election delegates represent the whole party. The generality of the party were involved in electing the delegates since all of us cannot be there at same time. Those delegates signified interests, bought forms and were voted for by the generality of the party. Five delegates each were elected from various wards. They were not just picked, but they went into contest even though, it was done via consensus and where there is no consensus, you are free to go into contest there.
THE IMPACT: Rep. Babajimi Benson granted me an exclusive interview where he x-rayed the recently concluded primary elections of the party and concluded that things were not properly handled during the exercise and that going forward, the exercise would be better conducted next time. What do you say to this?
Otunba Tijani: Did he mention those errors? (He asked our reporter).
THE IMPACT: Yes, he said that party leaders openly identified with particular candidate which was not fair to other aspirants, among other issues.
Otunba Tijani: Are party leaders not members of the party with right of choice too? They have the right of choice; to their own interests and to prefer candidate and the part cannot deprive you of such right even though you are a leader. You still have the right. What is the error in that that I prefer Adelabu to be out next House of Representatives member and another leader going for someone else? There is no problem in that. You will work to deliver your own person while I will work to do same too. I don’t see any error in that at all. I contested against him and he was chosen. Those who chose him have the right to support him and those that supported and voted me too have the right to do that too.
THE IMPACT: Let’s look at the INEC office located within the GRA which many residents have been complaining about that it is not accessible. Hon. Agunbiade has said that elected representatives and council chairmen have been looking into. As the Chairman of the ruling party, what is the party doing to address this concern?
Otunba Tijani: You know that I am fresh because l am just under six months at the helm of affairs, but the moment that you raised the issue, I knew what you were taking about because I have visited that place. There is no way that would not be done, that correction has to be made and like the man rightly said, not because they are elected representatives but because they are representing the ruling party. It would be good for us to get the error corrected. I want to promise that by God grace, I will raise the issue with the leadership and get our people involved as quickly as possible.
THE IMPACT: As the APC Divisional Chairman, what are your parting words for your party members and the generality of Ikorodu people?
Otunba Tijani: I will use this opportunity to appeal to our members that there is no perfection anywhere. No party, leader or human being is perfect. Whatever shortcomings you might have seen in us, please, take it as the fact that they cannot be perfect., but when you mention them to us, we would make amends and give us your ultimate support during the coming elections. Don’t say because you don’t like Mr A, you will not vote for the party. Vote for the party that you know that has done it before and promising to do it again. APC is the party that has done it before and will do it again. We all know what Lagos was in 1999 and we all know what it is today. The difference is clear, except if a person want to be mischievous. What we are talking is about governance and delivery dividends of democracy and once you have seen a party doing that, what I know is that you don’t change the winning team. Thank you.
THE IMPACT: Thank you Sir
