Kunle Adelabu
The federal lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Constituency in the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, Rep. Babajimi Benson, has called for a proper reconciliation within his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ikorodu.
He said that it is only through unity that the party can garner more votes and be victorious in the coming General Elections.
Rep. Benson, who disclosed that he supported Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan, former Director – General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, in the last APC primary election, also condemned people in the camp of the favoured candidate for the Assembly seat, Mr Gbolahan Ogunleye, son of the former Deputy Governor of the State for allegedly causing division instead of reaching out to aggrieved members.
The lawmaker, who said that he has accepted the decision of the party, spoke at his 2- Day Empowerment Programme for his constituents in Ikorodu at the weekend.
“During the House of Assembly election, I actually supported Bolowotan, but it didn’t go as we planned and once we lost the primary and the time for substitution and withdrawal were over and more so, that our revered monarch has called us to reconcile, what next is to agree and accept the favoured candidate which is the decision of the party”, he said.
“Unfortunately, those that are saddled with the reconciliation and who are also the one behind the favoured candidate, have not done well. They do not know how to handle reconciliation. They are causing more division which ought not to be so.
“I do discuss with Gbolahan. He is a good man but those with him are agent of discord. I am going to go round with him to do proper reconciliation. Some of them are using him to fight me, but we are not going to allow that”, Rep. Benson further alleged.
“We must not encourage crack within our party. We are going to find time to assist our party and Gboalahan and also ensure that our father, former Deputy Governor (Prince Abiodun Ogunleye), is not disappointed”.
He charged that it is only when there is unity within the party that more votes can be recorded in the coming elections while assuring that he is going to work with the APC Assembly candidate in achieving victory.
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“Senator Seye Ogunlewe always tells me that we must achieve 100, 000 votes for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency and that is what we all must work towards achieving, but we can only achieve that if there is unity and common vision and not division”, he said.
“We are going to bring Gbolahan closer and reconstitute his campaign team for proper functioning for us to achieve 100, 000 votes in the coming election”, Rep. Benson assured.
The two – term lawmaker also stated that his reconciliation efforts will also be extended to Ikorodu Constituency II and ensure that the APC candidate, Mr Aro Moshood Abiodun and the incumbent whom he is taking over from, are reconciled.
“In Constituency II, we are also going to call everybody together to reconcile them. We are going to call AMA (Aro Moshood Abiodun), the APC candidate and my good friend, Solaja (Hon. Nurudeen Solaja)”, he said.
“We must all come together to achieve victory for our party. All politics is local and we must go back to various Wards and Zones to ensure that we bring everybody on board.
“I don’t rejoice whenever I defeat anyone in an election. I usually go in search of them as a sportsman to reconcile like I did with TJ (Otunba Jimoh Tijani) when I defeated him during the party primary”, he added.
At the event were Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Hon. Saheed Obanikoro, Member, House of Representatives (Eti – Osa Federal Constituency), Council Chairmen, party Chairmen, leaders among others.
