Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
-Exercise lasted for about 6 hours
The Chairmanship screening panel for the aspirants vying for the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in the forthcoming Local Government elections on Wednesday screened 14 contestants aspiring for the number one position in the council.
For about 6 hours, the committee led by Asiwaju Kaoli Olusanya, a former commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives and also former Vice Chairman, APC Lagos East Senatorial District, interacted with the aspirants at the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA secretariat.
Other members of the panel that were in attendance were Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Taiwo Orenuga, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Igbogbo/Bayeku LGA, Prince Segun Ogunlewe, former Head of Service, Lagos State, and Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, former Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State.
Also Prince Jimoh Ogunmuyiwa, former Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Baba Oloja General, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Mr Shakirudeen Odusanya, former General Manager, Lagos State Printing Press and Secretary, Justice Forum, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, and Alhaji (Chief) Jamiu Olawale Abdullah (Bobomi), Chairman, Justice Foru, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
The panelists most of whom arrived at the Secretariat before the scheduled 10am were hosted at the Chairman’s office where they left at 11.02am for the council’s marriage registry where they interviewed the aspirants.
All the 14 aspirants were seated inside the council hall where they interacted freely and threw banters at each other.
At about 11. 20am the only female aspirant, Barr. Olabinjo Adekoya Adetoun, a practicing lawyer, and community developer/advocate, was the first aspirant that was called in.
She came out of the interview room at 11:49am. Pastor Abayomi Adelakun, former Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, was called in immediately after her. He concluded his session with the committee at 12:10pm.
Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA) who appeared before the panel after Pastor Adelakun also concluded his session at 12:29pm. He was followed by Barr. Ade Ayeni, the incumbent Secretary to the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA who concluded his screening at 12:52pm.
Mr Kunle Bakare, a serving Council Manager moved in after the Council Scribe. He concluded his interview at 1:07pm.
After Mr Bakare’s screening, the committee went on a recess. During the period, all the aspirants that have resumed their banters inside the hall were also served snacks and soft drinks.
The screening resumed at 1:31pm with the immediate past Chairman, Igbogbo Day Planning Committee and the proprietor, Andus D’Great School, Mr Nasrul Andu Balogun who concluded his session at 1:50pm.
After Andu, it was the turn of Mr Adewale Saliu Bolowotan, the Chief of Staff to the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA Chairman and Supervisor for Civic Engagements and Strategies, and he concluded his session at 2:10pm.
Other aspirants that appeared before the panel were Hon. Hassan Sheu Adewale (Aganga) who completed his session at 2:27pm, Hon. Nureini Oke Maja, Vice Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, who exited the screening room at 2:50pm, and following him, Mr Ogunyemi Luqman Olayemi took his turn before the panel. Thereafter, it was Hon. Rotimi Olowonishaye, also a former Vice Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, who is also vying for the number position. He concluded his screening at 3:07pm.
The former representative, Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Gbenga Oshin, went into the screening room immediately after Hon. Olowonishaye concluded his session with the panel at 3:20pm.
It was the turn of Mr Sanni Ishola after Hon. Olowonishalye and he concluded his session with the committee at 3:35pm before the last aspirant to register his appearance, Mr Shakiru Moritan Seidu, the publisher of MegaXpression who appeared before the Asiwaju Olusanya led panel.
It was gathered that the aspirants were drilled by the members of the panel on their activities within the party at local, state and federal levels, knowledge of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, past state chairmen of the party, budget of the council and polling units among others.
While the panelists were collating the screening results, Mr Francis Mani Shokunbi, another aspirant arrived at the screening centre at 4:51pm but the committee did not attend to him.
In a chat with THE IMPACT, he said that he did not receive any invitation for the screening, but on investigation, it was gathered that he has not submitted his letter of intent and manifesto to the party as directed.
It was also gathered that invitations to aspirants were based on these documents.
In a chat with the screening panel chairman, Asiwaju Kaoli Olusanya, it was revealed the whole exercise was to interact with all the aspirants and tell them about the process.
“The aspirants appeared before us because we are members of the same party. This is election time and we have about 15 or 16 aspirants and the party leadership in Ikorodu Local Government decided and directed that we should invite and talk with them.
“We are asked to explain the process, give them the benefit of our experiences – what it takes to contest an election where there are several aspirants and there is only one position.
“Where several of them have indicated interests, we just have to tell them that first and foremost, our interest is that of the party and whoever wins, we all have to support him and no need to undermine the party.
“That is all about what we did today. That is the whole essence,” Asiwaju Kaoli said.
When asked about other aspirants that are not in attendance, the panel chairman answered: “I am aware that no one is absent. I am not aware of any other aspirant is left to appear before the panel.”
He also said that the process went well and all the aspirants cooperated with the panel.
“It went well. They all accepted the counsel. They share the goals of the party and show that they want to be part of the success of the party. It is better to be part of the success of the party than to be the captain of a wrecked ship. If you want to be part of the success, you will come along with us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hon. Mathew Arowolo, who was an aspirant until yesterday called in today to inform our reporter that he has stepped down from the race.
He explained that he did not turn up for the screening because of that.
Others that showed interests in the number one position that did not also show up for the screening are Hon. Alimi Nurudeen, Council Leader, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Abolore, a former Councillor (Abortion), Mr David Alagbe, a former Assembly candidate in Ikorodu Constituency 2.
