Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
Electorates in Ikorodu had yet another opportunity to listen to candidates from various political parties vying for the two seats in the Lagos State House of Assembly and the sole Ikorodu Federal Constituency seat in the National Assembly, as they presented their agenda at the 2nd Ikorodu Division Legislative Debate on Sunday, January 21, 2023.
While eight Assembly candidates out of about 18 for both Ikorodu Constituency I and Il attended the debate, only one candidate for the House of Representatives turned – up out of the eight cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The debate was organized by the R.E.A.L. Initiatives and the Concerned Ikorodu Division Youth (CIDY), while Dr Olumide Metilelu, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) was the Chief Moderator, and Mr Abolaji Sunmoni, a communication expert, was the Moderator.
The debate, which was held at the Arch. Olutusen Onafowokan of the Ikorodu Ultra – Modern Town Hall, Ikorodu, also had the attendance of the Electoral Officer of the INEC in Ikorodu Local Government, Chairman, Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo, Publisher/Editor – in – Chief, Oriwu Sun, Executive Secretary, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL/GTE), Otunba Ganiyu Abiru represented by the Administrative Secretary, IDPIL, Mr Taiwo Salami Awolaru, and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative (IDYI), Dr Abiodun Fatai.
Also present were students’ leaders from the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), and other stakeholders.
Mr Elesho Abolaji Oluwaseun, Convener of 2nd Ikorodu Legislative Debate, while addressing the gathering, said that the platform was created for people to engaged those aspiring to represent them and listen to them as they speak and articulate their agenda.
“Basically, the debate was meant for people to engage the candidates. The contenders were also given the opportunity to also engaged themselves. We have asked questions from them which they were able to answer, it is now left for the people to hear what they have to say, and for them to go out there and take decision based on what they have heard them said”, the Convener said.
“We have created this platform for the people to engage the candidates through questions and also show the electorate that often make mistake by focusing on the executives alone. We are using this medium to tell them that those in the legislative arm too also have big roles to play; a serious one for that matter and we pray that our people will understand this”.
He charged residents to go out and get their PVCs to enable them vote for those that will represent and govern them.
The Chairman, Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo, in his own remarks, commended the initiative of the organisers of the debate, and expressed satisfaction at the performances of the candidates.
“What we have today, is a good innovation from the young people, and you can see that we have quite number of young people that attended this program. I am particularly impressed, that Ikorodu truly is the 3rd largest city in Southwest Nigeria, after Lagos and Ibadan, and this crop of young people are showing better way of engaging themselves and those aspiring to lead”, he said.
“In Ikorodu, we have crop of young people who can take us to the next generation; who can take us to the next destination to bring development to Ikorodu. That Ikorodu have potentials is no doubt, and you can see this in the way those candidates responded to questions.
“I urge them to work together in actualizing the dream of Ikorodu; dream of our forefathers, and to actualIse the dream of Oga. We are Ikorodu Oga, we must stay on top”.
He charged the youths in Ikorodu to come out en masse and vote to elect right persons to lead Nigeria, Lagos and Ikorodu to the greater height.
The candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) for the Ikorodu Constituency I, Idowu Olayiwola Adaleke who is an educationist, said that he would make education his first priority if elected to represent the lkorodu, at the State Assembly.
“I am here to assure every single person in lkorodu that I will make education my first priority because I am an educationist. I have taught in many schools, and I know the importance of education and the need to make it my number one priority because education is life”, he said.
“If you use your vote to make me the winner, the first thing I will do for you is to make technical education attractive, because I have interest in technical education and I want people to do things by themselves which will bring self – reliance and self – sufficiency that will stop them from begging. I will provide free transportation for school children which will reduce the cost being expended on a daily basis by their parents.
“I will ensure that resources are optimally utilize for economic development, and will also create employment opportunities for the people”, he added.
The AA candidate also said that he will promote STEM education in schools.
Adekunle Rasaq of the New Nigeria Party (NNPP), who is contesting for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat, in his own presentation, said:
“I want to pursue infrastructural development, remodeling and restructuring the structure that we have now. I will also ensure that there is transparency and accountability at all levels of government, especially in Ikorodu.
“Our agenda is to produce an enabling Ikorodu, and when I say enabling Ikorodu, I mean Ikorodu where everyone will thrive. We want people to feel sense of belonging, and also push them to do whatever they want to do.
“We also need to have more recreational centers in Ikorodu. Ikorodu is so spacious, so, we can achieve more things”.
Adekunle also stated that he will use his legislative power to monitor the executive effectively and ensure that the available resources are judiciously utilized; empower constituents through various programmes and work towards ensuring that Obas and Chiefs are adequately remunerated.
Also presenting his agenda for the Ikorodu Constituency Assembly seat and former Sole Administrator, Ikorodu LG, Ogunleye Adetokunbo Gbolahan of the APC, said:
“I am here with the legislative agenda for greater lkorodu, and in line with the greater Lagos pursuit of the State government. I believe that your vote in my favor will favour the dreams and aspirations of the people of lkorodu with that of the rest of the State. I can’t really say I have an agenda beyond taking care of the laws”.
“When I was an administrator with an executive capacity, there were some things that I delivered. We started and almost finish some part in the Sabo market. I was also part of those involved in the rehabilitation of Adaraloye road, while I was in government. I also connected the road in Lowa estate during that period and also completed the estate road in Solomade.
“Now that I am moving to the legislature, I know what it takes to represent you in lkorodu. I am somebody that knows what the people of lkorodu needs in terms of infrastructures and the development of the people”.
The former Sole Administrator said that he will consult more, encourage effective oversight function and ensure that his constituency get its fair share of the state and national resources.
He also added that he will encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) in bringing about infrastructural development and work towards creating more access roads.
Kasumu Adedoyin Shamsideen of the Africa Action Congress(AAC), who is vying for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat, presenting his own agenda, said:
“My great people of Ikorodu Oga, according to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, my major function as your legislator is to enact law for the good governance of good people of Ikorodu and Lagos State and also use the constitution to expose corruption, other things are just bonus. If I am elected to represent the Ikorodu Constituency II, my first bill will be to tackle corruption in accordance with the expectations of the constitution. The bill will provide sanction and jail sentence for those that steal public funds”.
“I will sponsor bill to provide free and qualitative tertiary education for those who cannot afford education in Lagos State. In addition, I will sponsor another bill to ensure that there is employment benefits for those out of schools, but still searching for jobs”.
The candidate, who said that Ikorodu is not tapping into its huge tourism potentials, said that he will ensure that that area is maximally tapped into for the betterment of the people through the enactment of effective laws.
The Ikorodu Constituency II candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), Afeez Akolade Abusami, while presenting his own programme for the people, said:
“My number one agenda, if I am elected as the representative of the people, is the Constituency outreach to know what my people want.
“I will also work within my party’s ideology because I can’t do it all alone. My party will definitely call me to order whenever I am going wrong”.
Abusami, who said that he will always interface with people to know their yearnings, also submitted that he will encourage the youths to participate in politics more.
The candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency II on the platform of the NNPP, said:
“Basically, my manifesto cut across three different activities; one is participatory approach to leadership, another one is effective collaboration with the executive and lastly, human capital development”, he said.
“For the participatory leadership, I intend to create an avenue where people of the constituency are taking into consideration when we plan and execute projects that impact their lives. In the area of effective collaboration with the executive arm, this is indeed important for the development of the community in terms of infrastructures. I will establish good relationship with the executive arm to make sure infrastructural development comes to Ikorodu.
“My major focus are to foster good relationship with my constituency; better collaboration with the executive arm of government, and to ensure that better infrastructures come to my constituency as well as improving human capacity of the people in my constituency”, he said.
Mrs Bukky Ogunnote of the Action Alliance (AA) vying for the Ikorodu Constituency II Assembly seat, said that her focus will be on education, health and roads among others.
“I have the passion to serve because so many things are lacking and missing in our constituency. I discovered that the level of education is not well stabilized; my people are not enjoying good roads the way they should. The health facilities are also not good. When you get to most general hospitals, you will discover that you would pay exorbitantly to get medical treatment.
“I am ready to serve selflessly, transparently and empower people to beat poverty and also create jobs. My fellow Nigerians, my fellow Ikorodu people, we shall do this together. Ikorodu can be good like Dubai. It is possible, we can all do it. We are the change that we want and as I have said earlier, I am going to serve you selflessly and transparently. Ikorodu must change, Ikorodu can change and it can only change if we change our minds”.
The actress turned politician said that she would mobilise women more by boosting their morale, adding that she will go all out to protect their interests.
Oladapo Sunday Moses who is contesting for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat on the platform of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), said.
“With my capacity as a CDA leader, we bought a land which was used in building a public school before the government took over it. I had worked for the MTN Nigeria, Nokia and other telecom companies. I want to honestly seek for your support and votes. If elected, I promise to fight for the budget of my constituency.
“I promise to fight for every member of my constituency, and I promise you that I will do my job perfectly well, therefore, please, vote for me”.
The ADC State Assembly candidate said that he would ensure effective oversight function to ensure that medical personnel do their job, while he would also facilitate improvement of Primary Health Care system. He added that he will use his legislative power to ensure that more staff are employed into the health sector.
The only Ikorodu Federal Constituency candidate, Babashola Babatomiwa, of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said that he would push for additional three Federal seats for Ikorodu because of its largeness and the need to make other parts of the division experience governance.
“Actually, we have moved far in Ikorodu in terms of development and we are majority stakeholders and we want a better Ikorodu. For the past six months after winning the primary election of my party, I have taken the battle to the wards and what I discovered is that Ikorodu is a very big local government and in as much as we say our present federal legislator is doing well, some people are not feeling governance because the division is very big. That is what informed the theme of my manifesto as grassroots agenda and inclusion”, he said.
“The problem is that there are people who are not included in how Ikorodu is being run and as a result, are being left behind, which is why I am aspiring to represent them at the federal level. We are going to push our agenda, policies and we are going to propose a bill that will increase federal territory in every LGA. Ikorodu alone should have four federal constituencies with eight state constituencies…”, he added.
