Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
Mr Aro Moshood Abiodun, popularly called ‘AMA’, has been consolidating on his emergence as the candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State Assembly, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming General Elections in February 2023, as he called for party stakeholders’ meeting.
The young politician, who is planning to commence full campaign soon, met with party stakeholders across the three councils – Igbogbo/Bayeku, Ijede and Imota Local Council Development Areas, at a town hall meeting and appreciated party members and sought their support for victory in the Assembly election.
The forum also served as an avenue to appeal and rally former aspirants and those that are aggrieved to support the candidate of the APC.
At the parley were party leaders and the three council chairmen in the Ikorodu Constituency II – Builder Sesan Daini, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba and Hon. Wasiu Agoro, who joined the candidate in appealing to party members and charged them for total support.
Also in attendance were party chairmen in the three LGAs, their executives, Ward executives, Councilors and Supervisory Councilors in the three Councils.
Addressing the full hall, AMA thanked the party leaders for their support and for joining him in calling for the meeting to bring members of the party on the same boat to collectively work for the party.
“I thank the party leaders and members and I am pledging my loyalty to the party. That is why we called every one of us here to seek your cooperation towards the next general elections”, he said.
“I am soliciting for your total commitment and I beg for the forgiveness of anyone that I might have offended. I assure you that I will be a dependable representative and I will not be full of myself.
“I want to tell you that I belong to everyone and no one. I belong to all the groups and there is no group that will invite me that I will not answer”.
He said that his campaign will kick – off fully once the party officially presents its flags to candidates.
“After our general meeting today, I will embark on wards and LGs consultation/visit. You will be seeing more of me and once the governor flag – off his campaign, and hands over the party flags to us candidates, that’s when the full campaign will commence at all levels”, he said.
“I want to appreciate us all for our commitment and dedication to the cause of the party”.
The Chairman, Imota LCDA, Hon. Wasiu Agoro, while stating that emergence of AMA is not because of his popularity or the alleged intervention by three council chairmen, but a divine intervention.
He charged members to work for the party success and charged the candidate to focus on Imota where he said that people always give the most votes.
Builder Olusesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, also commended party members’ loyalty for their undivided loyalty to the party even whenever they are not happy.
He pleaded for forgiveness for whatever wrong during the shadow and the main party primaries while asking them to join hands in campaigning and working for total victory of the candidate and the party.
“The work before us is enormous and beyond what a few people can do. And I thank our party members, especially those that they said are aggrieved that are here today smiling and willing to work for the party”, he said.
He thanked leaders inCconstituency II for ensuring unity in the party.
In her own remarks, the Ijede LCDA Chairman, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, appealed to the party members to support the candidate and the party.
Former Chairman, Ijded LCDA and one of the apex leaders in Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Saheed Hassan Adefarasin charged stakeholders to accept the party’s decision and work together in the interest of the party.
Another former Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Fathiu Jimoh Salisu, who aspired for the Assembly seat with AMA, charged politicians to change their mindset that it can’t be anyone if not them.
He charged members to give the party candidate total support and also called for improvement on voting figures.
“We all clamour for the turn of Ijede to occupy the seat and irrespective of the person that is picked from ijede, let us all support him”, he said.
“I want to appeal to us in Ikorodu Constituency II, to improve on our votes because they always abuse us at the apex meeting. This time around, let us show the Constituency I that we also have enough votes in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA with over 100 polling units: Ijede has 48 and Imota 43. These are over 200 polling units if merged together and enough to give us good figures.
“It is now our collective effort to ensure that Abiodun wins the election and after the turn of ljede, it will be Igbogbo next”, he added.
The host party LGA Chairman, Mr Taiwo Orenuga, who spoke on behalf of others, charged members to work on turning in massive votes for the party in the coming elections for the Presidential, Governorship and other offices.
Elder Adewale Ajala, party chieftain from Ijede LCDA, was full of appreciation for the three council chairmen for the role they have been playing and their support for the party and party leaders.
The chieftain also commended aspirants that fought for the party ticket with AMA for accepting the party’s decision.
