Wale Jagun & Jare Olukotun
-As Ori Okuta road which covers 5 Streets, 18 CDAs, is commissioned
The State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, has commended the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, for projecting good image and being a good ambassador of the ruling party.
Pastor Ojelabi gave the commendations at the commissioning of the massive road network facilitated by Rep. Benson, at Ori Okuta in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, on Saturday.
The commissioned road, which was facilitated by Rep. Benson, is the Chairman, House Defense Committee, covers five Streets – Adeola Rotimi, Believers Road, Akinsiku Road, Otunubi Road and Sanya Olu Street (the adjoining Street).
About 20 Community Development Associations (CDAs) are also directly connected to the roads. They includes Ade Peters, Efunlaroja, Harmony, Igba Otun, Ire Akari, Isokan, Mafojuodumo, Mosade Odugate, New Era, New Life, Ori-Okuta Concerned Residents, Otunubi, Peacemsker, Progressive Minds, Shiriki, United and United Homes CDAs.
Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, the State APC Secretary, thanked Ikorodu residents for entrusting their mandate with the third term lawmaker.
He said that Rep. Benson has been fulfilling his mandate on behalf of the APC, in making sure that the standard of life of the people, is improved in his constituency.
“I thank everyone for given me the privilege to come and see the gains of what Hon. Jimi Benson, is doing in his capacity as the representative of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly and by extension, representing the good people of Ikorodu Federal Constituency”, Pastor Ojelabi said.
“Let me also thank the people of this community – Ori Okuta, for appreciating what Hon. Jimi Benson has done to enhance the better living of this particular community.
“The Yoruba adage would say that, ‘Eni ba ru re, lo maa so re’ (Good shall always follow whoever that does good to others). Jimi Benson is working towards a good life for himself. There are two things for you when you go into government to represent your people; either you get prayer or curse.
“What you have been able to do for the betterment of your people, would give you comfort and blessings and I know that that is what Hon. Jimi Benson is doing”, he said.
Commending the lawmaker for using his mandate to better the lot of the constituency, the State APC Chairman described Rep. Benson as a good ambassador of the party.
“I want to tell you (Hon. Babajimi Benson) as the Chairman of our party, and appreciate you for projecting the good image of our party. I want to thank you for expanding the scope of our party, for strengthening our party, and appreciate you for contributing your own quota to the development of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and God will continue to be with you”, he said.
While thanking the residents for voting for the APC, Pastor Ojelabi, who was a former Commissioner, also charged them to take ownership of the road and preserve it.
“The people of Ori Okuta, I want to thank you for believing in our party and for making sure that you cast your votes for our party, and I want to thank you for believing that this man has come to enhance the better living condition of the people and on that basis, you went out to vote for All Progressives Congress (APC) and today, Hon. Jimi Benson is fulfilling his own part of the agreement to the people of Ori Okuta”, he said.
Take ownership of this project, it is for the betterment of your community. It is going to enhance the value of properties of this particular area. You have to maintain it knowing fully that it is what you maintain that would serve the betterment of the people in this area and at the same time, that would encourage Hon. Jimi Benson to do more.
“This is dividend of democracy. Hon. Benson has touched so many lives – education, health, infrastructures and manpower among others, that is the principles of All Progressives Congress. Continue to believe in the philosophy of our party, continue to support our party and continue to pray for our leaders, because things are a bit difficult and what has deteriorated is difficult to correct easily, but I have the belief that we will all smile”, APC Chairman assured Ikorodu residents.
The State APC Chairman also used the occasion to ask members of the party and others to revalidate their membership of the party that is starting soon.
“We want to revalidate the membership of our party and for you to continue to enjoy what you are enjoying, as soon as we start the process, make sure that you revalidate your membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
The representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency and facilitator of the commissioned road Rep. Babajimi Benson, reiterated that he should be the one thanking his constituents for their trust and revalidation of his mandate on three occasions.
“You always make the mistake of thanking me, instead of allowing me to thank you. You are the ones that elected me at the primary through the executives of our party and all of you elected me at the general elections, not once or twice”, he said.
“When you elected me for my first term, we won for our party by defeating the PDP with wide margin and the second term, I was unopposed from our party, but PDP did not show face in the general elections.
“For my third term, I won the party primary with 98 votes and my opponent got one vote. And at the general elections, the Ikorodu Federal Constituency was number one in all federal constituencies in term of votes garnered”, he said.
The third term lawmaker, who said that votes that were also delivered to President Tinubu, has added value to him, again, assured his constituents of many more projects and benefits from the federal.
“I am proud of all of you. What you did with your votes always echoes in the Villa (Presidential Villa, Abuja). Once Asiwaju (President Bola Tinubu) sees me, he always tells me to go back to Ikorodu”.
This is where Asiwaju got the highest votes and we can demand for flyover from Ikorodu to land anywhere. You have not seen anything yet”, he assured.
Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, decribed himself as the luckiest Chairman that Ikorodu West LCDA has ever produced, due to the projects facilitated by the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the council during his tenure.
He, therefore, thanked him for his support and informed him that he would still request for more.
Comrade Abubakri Asoro, Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), was also full of praises for the federal lawmaker.
“We say a special thank you to our member representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency for all the good things that he has been doing in Ikorodu Division, especially in Ikorodu West LCDA”, he said.
“He is one of the few political leaders in Ikorodu Division, that have also not forgotten the youths. Recently, he has facilitated foreign trips for people to China and in doing that, he also considers the youth representatives, and I just returned from China courtesy of Hon. Babajimi Benson.
“On behalf of the entire youths in Ikorodu West LCDA, we thank him and I am presenting him with this gift from the Great Wall of China”.
Mr Muyiwa Anwoju, Ori Okuta CDA official, speaking on behalf of the benefitting communities, assured the lawmaker that the community will maintain and sustain the road.
Hon. (Dr.) Adeola Jokomba, State APC Secretary, Hon. Gbolahan Ogunleye, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Developments, Bashorun Babatunde Rotinwa, former Head of Service, Otunba Amid Oduborisha, former President, Oriwu Club, Alhaji Musiliu Animashaun (De Cubano), APC chieftain, Dr. Olanrewaju Dixon, APC chieftain, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, APC chieftain, Arch. Taiwo Kara, Chairman Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), Hon. Gbenga Oshin, former Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Kunle Ogunbela, former Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA and Col. Titi Onafowokan, APC chieftain, were among other dignitaries that were in attendance at the event.
