Ikorodu 4 Governor?!

IKORODU FOR GOVERNOR
Sooner, Or Later!

Ikorodu is one of the five major towns –Divisions- that make the City State of Lagos. Having vast historical background, the ancient town is located along the Lagos Lagoon; it shares a boundary with Ogun State. According to the Wikipedia, the 2006 Census shows that Ikorodu had an enumerated population of 535,619.  

As one of the five Divisions –alongside with Lagos Island, Badagry, Ikeja and Epe- administration of the Lagos State is expected to be share in Divisions according to Zoning System. But the indigenes of Ikorodu fell marginalized as the seat of Governor- administrator- is not evenly occupied by the divisions.

Records have it that fourteen administrators –Military administration and Democratic Governors- had occupied the humble seat, but just one military administrator eventually was an indigene of Ikorodu. 

This is the cause of an agitation by the people of Ikorodu for the governorship of the State but the political leaders of the state is have a bit different plan. While the indigenes of the Town are doing their statistics on the five divisions the state political clique is working on three senatorial districts- The East, the West and the Central- in the state.  

Togetherness and Unity should be a spirit that that bring aid development in the state. Indigenes argue that the marginalization is completely against the norms of Nigeria democracy. The case for equity in the Lagos gubernatorial should be evenly occupied in the State. They registered their dissatisfaction that some region shouldn’t govern while some will continue to be governed. As that would be against the sense of belonging that should characterised the City State of Lagos.  

The agitation is channel by some indigenous group among which are Ikorodu Division Solution Alliance (IDSA), Eminent Persons of Ikorodu Division (EPID) and Ikorodu Division Resource Group (IDGR), each working at their different capacity to realise the prime dream.

Since the return of Nigerian Democracy in 1997- about sixteen year ago- two Governors had taken the seat representing two senatorial areas of the state. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented the Lagos West senatorial District and Babatunde Raji Fashola, from the Lagos Central Senatorial District. Each serving two terms, the next governor is expected to be a representative of the Lagos East Senatorial District, the district where Ikorodu is part of.
Luckily for Ikorodu, the Seat is seeded to Eastern Part of the State. This is a friendly tussle between Epe and the Ikorodu. However, Ikorodu argues that Epe had earlier represented by Sir Micheal Otedola. Sir Otedola was the Governor of the State between January 1992 and November 1993, representing National Republican Congress, NRC.

The race for Governorship in Lagos State faced new dimension, stakeholders – Indigenes, Chiefs, and Elders- in Ikorodu Division insists on producing the next governor. All Progressives Congress (APC) being the proposed ruling party in the State had reacted through it Ikorodu Chapter of the party. They objected consensus candidacy of Jimi Agbaje of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Ganiu Solomon of the APC. Apart from using the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Indigene of Ikorodu are ready to throw their support to any Political party that presents an indigene of Ikorodu as it candidate.

The 2015 governorship contest in the State is getting closer to reality. Zoning the seat to Lagos East Senatorial District and its perceived preference for a Christian candidate, give Tokunbo Kamson, Jimi Agbaje, Ganiu Solomon edge over Rasheed Gbadamosi, Tola Kasali, Tayo Ayinde, Obafemi Hamzat, Dapo Sasore, and the APC  gubernatorial candidate, Akin Ambode.

This goal is gaining support at the grassroots as the indigenous groups are working on network with major political parties to pick a credible candidate for the position, which they said, had never been occupied by an Ikorodu indigene. The groups staged rallies from one end of Ikorodu to the other.
IDSA leader, Hon. Said Ibikunle, described the agitation as against the outright exclusion of the division from the politics of governorship candidature in the state, particularly since the transition to civil rule on May 29, 1999.
On this note, the group’s chairman, Mr. Rotimi Erogbogbo said: “…  Lagos residents deserving equal access to all offices, the governorship position should be zoned to Lagos East. The Ikorodu Division, being the most populous and the only standing division in Lagos … produce the next governor.”

Erogbogbo justified Ikorodu’s governorship quest, arguing that it “is legitimate, timely and rooted in due principle of equity, justice and fair play. This is a clarion call to all well-meaning people of Ikorodu Division and lovers of democracy and justice to stand up and be counted globally.”

It should be recall that the Ikeja Division produced the state’s civilian governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande between 1979 and 1983 as well as its third civilian governor, Sen. Bola Tinubu between 1999 and 2007. Also, it cited the case of Epe Division, which it said, produced the state’s second civilian governor, Sir Michael Otedola, who ruled between January 1992 and November 1993.
Last year June, the Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Sotobi spoke on behalf of traditional rulers from the division, asking eminent indigenes of Ikorodu to join the governorship contest.

Sotobi, who had shown interest in the vacant stool of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, said the traditional rulers and elders would support the candidacy of any Ikorodu indigene irrespective of his political affiliation. He noted was the turn of Ikorodu to produce the next governor of Lagos State.  “Our mission is to produce a governor who comes from Ikorodu in 2015. If the PDP decides to have its candidate from Ikorodu, we will support it. If the APC decides to have candidate from Ikorodu, we will support it. If it is Labour Party, we will support it.”

Also, the IDGR and EPID, in a communiqué signed by the group Chairman, Chief Babatunde Benson (SAN) and Secretariat Coordinator, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe, lamented that Ikorodu had suffered marginalization under different political dispensations since the country’s return to civil rule in 1999. 

A Cross Section of Ikorodu Indigenes, clamouring for the next Governor of Lagos State during the Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, 28 October, 2014. Photo: Damilare Okunola

The communiqué stated that consequent upon meeting held with prominent indigenes in the state, it resolved that the group should request for letters of intent from persons interested in the 2015 governorship race from all political parties.

It implored indigenes to rally supports for all the aspirants from all political parties in the state so an indigene of Ikorodu Division would emerge the next Governor of the state come 2015.

The communiqués explained that the effort is directed towards all registered political parties in the state to ensure that an indigene of Ikorodu Division is presented as a gubernatorial candidate for 2015 governorship election by his political party.

The IDSA Women Leader, Mrs. Folashade Oba, stated that the IDSA’s specific objectives are basically to serve as a vanguard for galvanizing and championing the collective interest and aspirations of Ikorodu people.

According to the women leader, other objectives of the Association include “to promote fair and equitable, political and economic development in the division; elevate the division to its pride of place in the comity of divisions in the state; and serve as a platform for breeding leadership with integrity. 

Kingmakers in Ikorodu have started the screening of prominent citizens of the area as they work
Towards ensuring the reality of the agitation, kingmakers screened prominent indigenes of the division of the state. Outstanding indigenes, including Jimi Agbeje, Ganiu Solomon and Tunde Gbadamosi, among others were screened.

Also in the same lane, two governorship aspirants, from the Ikorodu Division, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was reported to have voluntarily stepped down for an aspirant from the area, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, popularly called GOS.

Mr. Taiwo Akintunde Kara and a former Head of Service in the state, Prince Adeseye Ogunlewe this was as a result of the fact that stakeholders and political leaders in the Division have unanimously adopted Solomon as the APC consensus candidate for the Division. 

The decision to step down for Solomon to pave the way for his adoption as the Ikorodu Division consensus candidate was reached at a meeting held at the Ikorodu town hall on November 7 with representatives of the various coalition groups clamouring for ‘Ikorodu Division for Governor 2015,’ respectable elders of the community and the three APC aspirants namely- Ogunlewe, Kara and Solomon.

A communiqué endorsed by the three aspirants dated November 17 said the agitation by Ikorodu Division was justified following the zoning of the party’s governorship ticket to Lagos East.
According to the communiqué, “We remain a team and will work together towards ensuring that the Ikorodu Division agenda becomes a reality,”

Another  communiqué by stated that a group, Eminent Persons of Ikorodu Division (EPID) adopted the decision of the three aspirants and thereafter adopted Solomon as the APC governorship consensus candidate for Ikorodu Division. 

The communiqué signed by its Chairman, , Chief Babatunde Olusola Bension, SAN said the decision to present a consensus candidate by the area was to avoid their experience during the 2011 elections when they had more than one candidate vying for the same seat from the area.

“It is in this connection that the entire people of Ikorodu Division proudly present Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS) as the candidate of Ikorodu Division to the All Progressives Congress for 2015 Lagos State governorship race. EPID hereby calls on the leadership of APC in Lagos State and the national leaders to rally support for its sole candidate GOS to emerge as the party’s candidate and eventually, Lagos State governor in May 2015.

However, it was a sad moment that after several pleadings with the APC both at the Lagos state and its National wings, it refused to grant the request, application and agitation of the people of Ikorodu. As the Party claimed to be objective as it gave all aspirants, irrespective of their regions, a level playing ground to all aspirants. The congress produced former Lagos State Accountant General, Akinwunmi Ambode as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Though from the same Lagos East senatorial District, Ambode, will be representing Epe Division of the State and not Ikorodu as agitated. Ambode candidacy erupted issues as his indigenship- Epe, is questionable. But, according to the Oba of Lagos, HRH Oba Riliwan Akiolu, the monarchs in Epe division of the State had cleared Ambode as a true son of Epe and so he deserves the Monarch endorsement.  

But the agitation of Ikorodu still holds, as the Federal rulling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presented an indigene of Ikorodu, Jimi Agbaje, with its gubernatorial ticket. The candidature attracted Jimi Agbaje being endorsed as another consensus candidate of the division. The concession resulted into a division in the ancient city of Ikorodu. Some people of Ikorodu, majorly APC chieftains address the issue with a News conference declining that people of Ikorodu had endorsed the People’s Democratic Partys’ Candidate, Jimi Agbaje has was claimed by some groups in Ikorodu.

Therefore, the next questions now are,’Will Ikorodu actualized and utilized the rear and long awaited opportunity given by the PDP?’ Will the APC members, especially the party’s chieftains, ignore APC candidate for Jimi Agbaje?” Will votes in Ikorodu alone emerge Jimi Agbaje as the next Governor in the State?’ 

It wasn’t yet a surprise when the electoral umpire declared Akinwuumi Ambode, the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the April 11, Governorship elections in the state. What seems to be the question, expectation is the outcome of the election of the Ikorodu division. That’s where the surprise came; Ambode won elections even in the division.  

Now, to the questions, did Ikorodu division sell the agitation off? Do the division no longer interested in the Seat? Do Ikorodu forced to accept Akinwunmi Ambode, instead of their acclaimed Son, Agbaje? Or they dialogued just one term; instead of the two terms know the Party for, after which the second comes to Ikorodu? Or the APC in the Division simply don’t support the Agitation? You can simply add more to these.
There are a couple of effects to be considered in evaluating the result of the Governorship election on the Ikorodu Division.

Obviously, Ikorodu couldn’t occupy the seat until 24 years, I mean going by the trend, two terms a governor. The other Senatorial District of the state would have their slots.

And it would be noted that, in the zoning system, Senatorial Districts is in use and not Divisions. There by, other communities within the East Senatorial District could even be favoured against the Ikorodu Division. So, Ikorodu Division should be highly meticulous with their agitation. 

http://ireports-ng.com/2014/10/07/pictorials-of-senator-ganiyu-olanrewaju-solomons-gos-endorsement-for-2015-lagos-guber-by-ikorodu-apc-leaders-and-traditional-chiefs/

http://globalvillageextra.com/lagos-2015-ikorodu-must-produce-the-next-governor-benson/

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/2015-ikorodu-battles-lagos-guber-slot/

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/day-ikorodu-stood-still-for-agbaje/