Kunle Adelabu
Council Chairmen in Ikorodu Division, have described the appointment of a former Chairman of Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area, Hon. Adeola Jokomba, as the acting General Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lagos State, as a welcome development and a recognition for the role being played by Council Chairmen in the development of the party.
They described it as a clear departure from the time when elected Council Chairmen were not accorded another position of responsibility after serving, especially in Ikorodu.
Since 1999, the only Council Chairman that was accorded any recognition at the state level after office was the former Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Yeye Fausat Gbadebo, the mother of the present Chairman of the Council, who was elected as the APC Women, Lagos East Senatorial District, a position she held till her death about two years ago.
Some of the Council bosses spoke with THE IMPACT at the inauguration of the new acting Secretary of the party, at the State Secretariat of the APC, ACME, Ikeja, Lagos.
Hon. Wasiu Agoro described the emergence of the former Council Chairman, Hon. Jokomba, as a good change and recognition of the efforts of the administrators to the APC.
“Yes, this is a good change for the party if we are now being rewarded for our efforts. Efforts of any Council Chairman cannot be over emphasized in any election. We know what we used to do and efforts that we always put into it”, the Imota LCDA Council boss said.
“It is a good thing in the right direction since we are now being recognized and rewarded. We believe that this is going to continue for the efforts that they are making.
“As a serving Council Chairman, I know what we have contributed to the party, even those that are now former, we know their contributions to the party. So, if Council Chairmen are being rewarded in this way, this will make them work harder for the success of the party”, Hon. Agoro emphasized.
The Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju (SKO), who said that the experience acquired by the council administrators cannot be jettisoned, also welcomed the recognition for the contributions of the Council Chairmen.
“Hopefully, this should be a turnaround from the era when Council Chairmen are not reckoned with any more after office. It means that more of such recognition and reward will still come”, he said.
“It is now time to start looking inward, because you don’t joke with experience. Jokomba was a former Council Chairman and served for six years. We don’t have to waste that and with the experience, he will survive his present position as the State Scribe of our great party”, he added.
Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, described the development as an encouragement for them, and added that there is an opportunity for any Chairman that performs while in office, to be given another position of responsibility after serving.
“This is actually the second Council Chairman to be given a position of responsibility after office from the Ikorodu Division. The first to be recognized was Yeye Gbadebo, former Council Chairman, Ijede LCDA. She was elevated to the position of Women Leader, Lagos East Senatorial District “, Builder Sesan said.
“But this is an encouragement for us, but not only in Ikorodu. I can say categorically that the party Chairman of our party at the State, is a former Council Chairman. So also was the Publicity Secretary, Organising Secretary and now, the Secretary. They are all former Council Chairmen.
“So, it is a hope for Council Chairmen that if they do well while in office, that they would move forward after office, and you will be recognized”, he said.
