Kunle Adelabu
Alli Idowu Akinyemi, is an energy expert and an aspirant for Ikorodu Local Government on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one of those that missed the screening organized by the leadership of the party last month.
After the screening, he was mistakenly categorized as one of the aspirants that are seeking greener pastures abroad and aspiring therefrom, but in an interview, Alli corrected the impression, stating that he fully resides at Aga in Ikorodu and still pays his tax to the Lagos State Government.
The aspirant who we gathered is a leading aspirant on the Justice Forum’s platform, is from Ward E, Aga/Ijomu political ward. He hails from the Soneye Odugbose family of Ita – Agbodo, Ikorodu and his family is well established at Agura – Gberigbe. His great grandfather was Afereji of Agura Land.
Correcting the impression that he was an abroad based aspirant or an indigene seeking greener pasture in foreign lands, Alli explained that he missed the screening organised by the apex body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu, because the invitation to the screening came a few days after he left his home town on official assignment.
“I reside in Ikorodu, Lagos State, and I have my personal house in Aga. I missed the screening because of duty which is primary. Politics is secondary. I must have something before politics which is germane when it comes to looking out for who to lead the local government. You must have something to do.
It’s just a call of duty.
“I still pay my tax to the Lagos State Government as a resident of Lagos State”, he said.
Alli who works with the General Electric, a multinational company as Technical Field Advisor, emphasized that his duty as an expatriate usually takes him to other countries whenever his company needed his professionalism.
When asked if he has liaised with the party leadership on having his own shot at the screening, Alli asked our reporter to contact the party leadership for details, but he expressed optimism that shows that he is still fully in the race.
When also asked to give his comment on the rescheduled screening by his group – Justice Forum (JF), after the first one in February that we gathered he emerged as the best, Alli also referred our reporter to the leadership of the JF.
“Whatever the leadership of our party and group does is an internal arrangement and I am not in a position to disclose that, even though I am not under any directive not to reveal such details, but I feel that such information should come from the leadership.
“You are a versatile reporter as far as Ikorodu is concerned and you know your way around. My only concern in this interview session is to correct the impression that I am an abroad – based aspirant and to also find a way of promoting my aspiration.” He said.
Speaking generally on his aspirations, Alli said that he is the most qualified and preferred candidate and knows that he will emerge as the best if the party conducts the screening. This, he noted, is because of his contributions and activities into the party and group and engagement with the community.
When asked about his aspiration, Alli commended the outgoing administration of Hon. Wasiu Adeshina for lifting up the bar of governance in Ikorodu and said that he wanted not only to continue with the good governance but also improve on it.
“I believe that we have to continue with the energy that the present administration has been working with and also improve on it. With my expertise, exposure and experience, I know and I have a strong belief that I know what it takes to move Ikorodu forward.
Unveiling his programmes, the Chairmanship aspirant said:
“We have actually set out our agenda/programmes. We actually have 21 points and aspirations. We have our core sector that we are going to give adequate concentration on – education which is one of the key areas on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health, employment and the issue of security of life and property.
“When we are talking about property, that is another area that we are going to focus on. At present, the whole of Ikorodu only has one fire service station at Odogunyan and recently, the newly commissioned one in Ijede, which is still very far from Ikorodu.
“We actually need to establish new facilities. In addition to the security of life we also need to consider the security of our properties.
“We are bringing in new ideas because we are fully aware that our IGR is not that much to actually execute some massive projects. We are going to use PPP to execute some of our projects that can develop Ikorodu infrastructurally” he explained.
The aspirant called on the electorate and people of Ikorodu to carefully consider the aspirants on their merits to know those with genuine interest to make desired changes.
“I will advise the generality of Ikorodu people to watch and do their research on individuals aspiring for the chairmanship position. Before the announcement of the autonomy, we were less than ten that were aspiring, but immediately after, the number skyrocketed to over 20, which is outrageous. I was surprised.
“That is actually a factor to differentiate those that really meant well for the people and those coming out for the money. Apparently, some people are actually aspiring because of the direct allocation – more money and not for the love of service.
“Our people should look before they leap,” he charged.
He commended the party on the screening of aspirants which he said is now a model for other councils across the state.
Alli added that the screening would assist the party in seeing through the aspirants to know those that have the genuine interest to serve and have good and workable programmes that would further help in Ikorodu’s development.
Alli attended Aga Primary School and later Oriwu College, Ikorodu. He later proceeded to the Government Technical College, Ikorodu, where he studied Automobile and later earned the Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC).
He worked briefly with the National Electrical Authority for about five years and later went for his First degree which is Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics (option). Thereafter, he had his national service in Lagos State, Ikorodu precisely.
He worked at the American Energy Services, which was an Enron project, as a plant engineer. After his youth service, he was retained as a plant engineer. It is from there he joined his present company, General Electric, a multinational company as Technical Field Advisor. He’s now an expatriate with the company.
