Ikorodu Federal Lawmaker Reiterates Clamour For Special Status For Constituency In Lagos

Kunle Adelabu

Rep. Babajimi Benson, the lawmaker representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, has reiterated his call for a special status for his constituency in Lagos.

The three – term representative and Chairman, House Committee on Defense, restated his stance at the weekend during the commissioning of the 3.6km Erunwen Road in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.

Rep. Benson at the event called out Hon. Kolade Alabi, Chairman, ALGON, who was also in attendance with chieftains of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), and other stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to, again, present what he termed the demands of his people that gave the largest votes to the ruling party at the last general elections.

“We have 57 local governments and five Divisions in Lagos. Ikorodu alone has six strong LG and LCDAs. Ikorodu Constituency alone gave Mr President the highest votes, not just in Lagos or Southwest and not in the Southern Nigeria alone, but in the entire Nigeria.

“Our request is simple, when you are sharing your JAC, the amount that you give Lagos State and Nigeria and the eminence that Ikorodu occupies in Lagos State, does not reflect in the amount of money we get.

“So, I have been sent to tell you that the way Lagos State is clamouring for a special status, Ikorodu too should be given a special status in Lagos State”, he said.

Rep. Benson, emphasizing his position for Ikorodu upgrading in terms of more allocation and special status, said that the agitation is merited.

“We are not Oliver Twist. We are smiley saying that we delivered the highest votes to Mr President, so, it is only fair that Ikorodu gets the eminence that it deserves which is a special status for Ikorodu in Lagos State”.

The lawmaker also emphasized the strategic importance of Ikorodu to Lagos State, to further demand a special status for Ikorodu.
“Where is that constituency that has 25, 000 people plying LAMATA? Where is that city where 10, 000 are people plying its waterways every day? It is in Ikorodu.

“ALGON Chairman, where have you seen a city that have 1000 CDAs?”, he asked Hon. Alabi rhetorically.

His presentation was massively supported by the entire residents that graced the occasion, as they chorused in affirmation.

Hon. Alabi, responding to Rep. Benson’s agitation, said that he has been using his position to assist Ikorodu which he also claimed he has affiliation with.

“We actually saved Ikorodu when it was getting zero allocations. Some of the Executive Secretaries then are here and they can testify to that. It was based on what we did under my leadership that Ikorodu was moved from negative allocation and started getting good funds.

“If we want a prosperous Lagos, that works for all of us, we have to go back to an inclusive governance and that was what we did when we conceptualised one project per local government with the 114 roads that we did.

“I don’t want to go into the details, but Ikorodu people knew what we did that time and that was why as a local government, Ikorodu benefits more than my own which is Shomolu. We have four but what you have in Ikorodu is more and that is inclusive governance, but you want to be Oliver Twist”, Hon. Alabi said.

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