Kunle Adelabu
After months of factionalisation, maneuvering and fierce rivalry, The Mandate Movement (TMM) in Ikorodu Division, has come together as a one – big – united family and ready to, once again, form a formidable political platform.
The political group, under the Divisional leader of Alhaji Musiliu Animashaun (De Cubano), at its first – ever meeting held at the Alhaji Animashaun’s house on Friday, after full reconciliation, agreed to operate under the umbrella of the TMM, and charged members who were in attendance in large numbers, to embrace one another in unity and peace.
The group, before now, was polarized between The Mandate Movement (TMM) and The Mandate Group (TMG).
It is, however, worthy to note that the leaders of the group at the LGA level in the Division, among whom are Chief (Mrs) Adebimpe Akinsola, former Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Lagos State, Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, Division’s APC Chairman, Otunba Fatai Olukoga, former Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Lagos State, Hon. Nurudeen Saka Solaja, former representative, Ikorodu Constituency II, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, former Secretary, Divisional APC Apex leaders, Mr Taiwo Kara, former Commissioner, Lagos State Teaching Service, Hon. Jide Banjoko, former Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Sefiu Ogunyemi, former Council Leader, Ikorodu LG, Captain Benson, APC leader, Alhaja Shukura Adewunmi – Okeowo, former Sole Administrator, Ikorodu North LCDA, Hon. Kunle Ogunbela, former Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Hon. Lanre Balogun, former Commissioner for Rural Development, Lagos State, Chief Abiodun Awolesi, Salu Apesin of Ikorodu and APC chieftain, Otunba Bayo Lawson, APC Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Munirat, former Vice Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Alhaji Ajala, APC chieftain in Ijede, Hon. Kabir Kareem, Vice Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Aluko, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Mr Segun Anifowoshe, former Sole Administrator, Ikorodu West LCDA and Mr Gbadegesin and others, had operated separately for months.
Speaking at the meeting, Alhaji Animashaun thanked and appreciated the leadership of the TMM for agreeing to work together in the interest of all, while assuring that coming together would further strengthen them.
While stating that the TMM is the foremost grassroots political group, the Divisional leader stated that members were happy about the resolve of their differences which he said they have been expecting for a long time.
He charged members to continually engage in peaceful co – existence and work for the unity of the group and their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Other leaders like Otunba Fatai Olukoga, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, Alhaji Ajala and Hon Nurudeen Solaja among others, also emphasized the need for unity among members.
The former representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Saka Nurudeen Solaja, said that members should expect Christmas and New Years packages from the state which would be sent to them through their LGAs.
Otunba (Dr.) Fatai Olukoga, former Special Adviser to the Governor on Education and former Permanent Secretary, speaking with our reporter after the meeting, expressed his happiness at the reunion in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of now defunct TMG.
“First of all, let me say l am very happy that we are now together, because there were groups called TMG and TMM, and today, we have accepted that we should stay under the TMM, which is now the original group.
“Incidentally, today, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of TMG, and has a result, we called ourselves together and said that there is no point fighting one other since we have the same mission, the same objectives and the same goal. There is nothing that we are fighting ourselves for except the need to be together.
“Incidentally, today, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of TMG, and has a result, we called ourselves together and said that there is no point fighting one other since we have the same mission, the same objectives and the same goal. There is nothing that we are fighting ourselves for except the need to be together.
“We had a small meeting yesterday (last Thursday), which was a focus meeting and we all agreed to be one. The other group of TMG now decided to join the TMM. So, that is why you see the pull out today. Everybody are now together.
“All the leaders in TMM were together on the sit during the meeting today to make sure that today is a memorable day, and you can see the crowd. We actually expected two hundred and fifty people but the figure of those that were in attendance was over a thousand. We can’t even handle it
“We really thank God and from everything, you can see that people are happy. We need to work together so that we can achieve our mission together. We need to start working for 2027 now!”, he said.
He said that the unity is necessary among the group so that its leadership and members can work together in achieving a common goal in the coming elections, starting with that of the local government.
“The election of the chairman of local government is coming up, and we have to work together, otherwise we’ll lose.
“There is no more TMG, what we have now is TMM and as a result, what is expected of us is to work together to achieve the same goal. As a team, we are starting with the chairmanship election first. TMM group will work together in harmony with Justice Forum (JF), so that we can all have a common ground to have a Chairman that would serve the interest of all”, Otunba Olukoga said.
There was a dancing competition among members, and a woman from Ikorodu West LCDA emerged the winner, while another woman from Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA came second and the third position claimed by a female member from Ikorodu Central.
THE IMPACT gathered that it was agreed at the last parley between the leadership of the two factions that there is need to work together and commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Mandate Group in the state, according to the directive of the state leadership of the TMM.
While Alhaji Musiliu Animashaun has been accepted as the Divisional leader of the TMM, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya and Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe’s positions as state apex leaders of the TMM and Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola as the State Secretary, were also resolved.
It was also gathered that agreement was reached that every other position will be discussed and fairly distributed later.
