Kunle Adelabu
About 40 aspirants are vying for the six chairmanship positions across the Ikorodu Division/ Local Government.
Ikorodu Local Government within the Lagos State political structure comprises Ikorodu Central Local Government, Ikorodu West LCDA, Ikorodu North LCDA, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Ijede LCDA and Imota LCDA, which has Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, Hon. Adeola Banjo, Hon. Sesan Daini, Hon. Motuntayo Gbadebo -Alogba and Hon. Wasiu Agoro as outgoing council chairmen.
While all four of the incumbent council administrators have served the required two – terms of four years each, with Hon. Wasiu Adeshina and Hon. Adeola Banjo having also administered their councils for over a year as Executive Secretaries before they were duly elected as chairmen. Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA and Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba, Ijede LCDA, had only served a term of four years and they are seeking re – election.
While the Princess of Ijede, Hon. Motuntayo is loved to the extent that the entire leadership and majority members of the party endorsed her for the second term, a situation that made other aspirants withdraw from the race, Hon. Sulaimon will have to contend with two other aspirants to get his party’s ticket as a candidate.
At the moment, all the 40 or more aspirants will have to face the screening put in place by the state structure of the party to qualify for the primary elections.
Ikorodu Central Local Government
15 aspirants out of the initial 23 that signified interest and many of whom faced the screening panel setup by the apex leaders of the APC in Ikorodu Division, obtained the nomination forms from the state chapter of the party and submitted the same.
The aspirants that collected and submitted the forms and will likely go into the primary elections are Comrade Japheth Akeem Odesanya, Mr Babawale Alogba, Mr Yinka Majekodunmi, Mr Oladele Ogunfodunrin, Mr Yusuf Owolewa Atebo, Prince Adedayo Ladega, Princess Folashade Olabanji -Oba, Mr Idowu Alli, Alhaji Kamaldeen Tijani Ajalogun (Kabat), Mr Mutiu Animashaun, Mr Azeez Lamina, Mr Gbadebo Taofeek Oluwafemi, Hon. Ajayi Adebowale, Alhaji Murisiku Ajisebutu (Marshal), and Prince Afolabi Oyefusi.
There are three or four major contenders who have massive followings, sizable number of supporters of the apex leaders, notable contributions to the party and support outside Ikorodu especially at the state level.
All the aspirants may scale through the screening hurdle (except for three or four who may likely face some challenges). But, ultimately, who becomes the next chairman of Ikorodu local government will have to be determined by the apex leaders in Ikorodu, especially the former Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and Council Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Agogo. An aspirant with a track record of party engagements and participation, support of majority apex leaders, with positive appeal to stakeholders in Ikorodu and with massive followings will carry the day. Goodwill and financial muscle also constitute a major factor.
The likes of Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, former Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, former Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Oloye Oye Solebo, apex leader, Basorun Babatunde Rotinwa, former Head of Service, Alhaji Animashaun, APC chairman in Ikorodu among others are also expected to play prominent roles in who emerged as the the next chairman.
The Senator representing the Lagos East, Senator Tokunbo Abiru and the representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson, will also have influence except they wanted to stay away from the process.
Ikorodu West LCDA:
Only three aspirants are vying for the Ikorodu West Chairmanship position.
The incumbent who is seeking re – election, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, FCA, FCTI, will have to contend with his old political foes, Hon. Gabriel Olusesan Dada and Hon. Omobolaji Ogunsanwo.
In this council, it would definitely be a fight between the incumbent and the former Vice Chairman of the council, Hon. Sesan Dada who is expected to intensify his pursuit and give Hon. Sulaimon a serious contest.
As expected, Hon. Sulaimon will be favoured by the power of incumbency to ensure that he gets re – elected by all means the more so, that he has most political leaders on his side. But, anything is still very possible in politics, so the incumbent will have to work extra hard to get back into office against numerous allegations and negative image that his administration has been battling with for some time.
It is also possible that the electioneering in Ikorodu West LCDA may turn into a battlefield going by what happened between the two in the last dispensation and may lead to intervention of the external forces outside Ikorodu which may not favour the incumbent going by his relationship with the state. Another aspirant apart from the two that may benefit if the whole affair turned ugly is the current incumbent Vice Chairman, Hon. Aluko.
Ikorodu North LCDA
There are seven aspirants in the race for the chairmanship in Ikorodu North LCDA which are Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, Hon. Kunle Ogunbela, Hon. Matthew Adesanya, Hon. Ola Ameen Apanisile, Mr Sesan Odueyigbo, Dr (Hon) Samson Bisiriyu, Mrs Abiola Soaga and Mr Opeyemi Taiwo.
Ikorodu North LCDA is another area where gladiators will be going against each other.
Out of the eight aspirants in the contests, there are about three gladiators that will be using everything at their disposal to wrestle power. There are three other strong contenders who are also very strong in their own rights and may spring surprises.
The issue of rotation between the The Mandate Movement/The Mandate Group (TMM/TMG) and the Justice Forum (JF) is another contentious issue in this council but it may not have any effect on the contest due to the failure of the JF leadership many of whom aligned with the TMM/TMG leaders. With this, TMM/TMG may continue its dominance with Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, the incumbent Chairman APC Ikorodu North LGA who also doubles as the Divisional leader of the party in the lead going by what is on the ground. He was also a former Vice Chairman of the council and former acting chairman. He wields so much power with his influence extending outside of the Ikorodu North LCDA. With all the delegates in the division in his kitty, financial muscle and the majority leaders within the council on his side including the incumbent council chairman, Otunba is a serious force to reckon with.
Otunba Tijani was a former State Secretary of the TMG and now a chieftain of the TMM/TMG.
But it will not be an easy ride to the Isiu Secretariat for Otunba Tijani as his former boss and rival, Hon. Kunle Ogunbela is also in the race. Ogunbela is another formidable figure who has succeeded in dividing the leadership in Ikorodu North LCDA since he announced his interest in the race and has been galvanizing support outside the council. Like Otunba Tijani, Hon. Ogunbela is also a TMM/TMG chieftain.
Another aspirant that cannot be ruled out is Hon. Matthew Adesanya, an incumbent supervisor in the council. He was also a former Secretary to the Ikorodu North LCDA. This will be the third time that he will be vying for the Chairmanship position in the council and he came so close in the last two attempts. He almost secured the seat in the last dispensation but for a petition against him which was later discovered to be a political blackmail, but the deed had been done by the time the truth was out. He too is mobilising forces within and outside the council to secure the seat this time around. He belongs to the TMM/TMG group.
A prominent member of the JF in Ikorodu North LCDA is Mr Sesan Odueyigbo, who was favoured to clinch the chairmanship position eight years ago when JF members were still formidable. He was appointed as a Supervisor in the first term of Hon. Adeola Banjo as chairman of the council.
He is a proponent of the rotational system and believes that there must be justice for his group to also have access to the power which has eluded it since the inception of the council. Odueyigbo is a popular aspirant and very well connected within and outside the council.
He is expected to scale the screening hurdle and give other aspirants a good show in the primary elections if the race eventually gets to that.
Another formidable aspirant is Hon. Ola Ameen Apanisile, the incumbent Vice Chairman of the council. He put in a good campaign for the chairmanship position but he was pacified with the vice chairmanship position where he only existed in the shadow of his boss for eight years. Unfortunately, chairman Banjo is supporting Otunba Tijani for the chairmanship position.
Apanisile may be counting on external forces that are rooting for him to secure the position.
He may also be a beneficiary if the old political power gladiators are unable to manage their ambition because he has age on his side.
Dr (Hon) Samson Bisiriyu is another contender with massive grassroots support going by his antecedents in the youth movement and community development in Ikorodu North LCDA and Ikorodu Division in general.
Samson Bisiriyu is a determined young man with initiatives and will to execute his programmes. It is the determination and will that he has used in achieving a niche for himself within the youth organizations especially all the objectives that he is desirous of bringing to the larger society.
He was an aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly in the 2024 General Elections and since then his determination to represent his people and bring changes has been uppermost in his heart.
He is also well connected within and outside Ikorodu.
The remaining two members Mrs Abiola Soaga and Mr Opeyemi Taiwo are also members of the JF. They are core party and community people who have their own followings and influence.
Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA
This was expected to be another volatile council but political activities have really quieted down in the last one week or so due to agreement among the political leaders and the intervention by the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Babajimi Benson.
The insistence of the Justice Forum leaders, especially Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, that supported fully, Builder Sesan Daini Administration which produced by The Mandate Group/The Mandate Movement (TMG/TMM), that it is the turn of their group and their preparedness was what saved the day for JF in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA. This coupled with the acceptance of the rotational order by Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, a chieftain of the TMM/TMG and ultimately, the intervention of Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, who is also a constituent of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, actually resolved what would have turned into a major political warfare.
With all the major gladiators and other chieftains resolving on supporting the JF candidate in the person of Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), the coast is clear in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA. But it is not yet uhuru with four other aspirants – Mr Olakunle Bakare, Mr Nasril Titilola Andu, Pastor Abayomi Adelakun and Mr Sanni Ishola, also obtaining the APC nomination forms and attending the screening. This is an indication that it is not over until it is over in politics.
Aroyewun, a member of the JF caucus in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA was a two – term nominee for Commissioner and an aspirant for Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly. The aspirant who is the youngest among the five aspirants has also undertaken assignments for the party more than his co – aspirants.
As much as he is politically active, HOA who holds two Masters’ degrees, is also active in youth and community development in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Ikorodu Division at large.
He is well connected with massive followership, and blessed with good leadership skills. His support base cuts across the political class to include the youth groups, students’ association, traditional institution, and market association among others. In actual fact, he was the first to unveil his well – thought-out transformative agenda for Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA among the aspirants.
Olakunle Bakare, is a serving Council Manager, who was until recently the candidate of the incumbent chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, when an agreement was reached on Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun with other leaders to succeed him.
He holds Masters of Science (MSc) in Public Administration, Lagos State University, LASU, and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sociology & Anthropology, University of Benin (UNIBEN).
By virtue of his service, Bakare is also well connected politically. He also has the financial muscle which has been deployed since he indicated interest in the race.
Another aspirant is Mr Nasril Titilola Andu Balogun, the immediate past Chairman, Igbogbo Day Planning Committee and the founder of Andus D’Great School, Igbogbo.
Andu who is an educationist has two masters’ degrees and he is currently studying for his doctorate degree.
He is the immediate past chairman, Igbogbo Day Planning Committee. He actually served
While he has a low record of political engagements, the aspirant has massive support from the Muslim community in Igbogbo.
Pastor Abayomi Adelakun is core community developer with records of community development activities which earned him chairmanship of the Community Development Committee twice in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA and a state executive of the Community Development Advisory Committee.
A Chartered Accountant by profession, he has his base among the CDA/CDC stakeholders.
Sanni Ishola Omolola, a computer science major was a former Chairmanship aspirant in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA but beyond that, his political engagement is very low.
The aspirant was a former students’ leader with massive union activities and engagement.
Ijede LCDA
The waterside council is fully secured for the incumbent Chairman, Hon. Motuntayo Gbadebo -Alogba, who is returning for the second term to equal her late mother’s record who was the first chairman of the council.
The golden daughter of Ijede LCDA was approved by the apex leaders in the council for re – election and she was equally loved by the majority party members and residents of the council. This prompted other aspirants to withdraw from the race, leaving her as the sole aspirant.
It is just weeks for Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba to return back into the Ijede LCDA secretariat provided that she wins the candidates of the opposition parties if there are going to be any.
Imota LCDA
The political situation in Imota LCDA is quite different from other councils. For the past years, who administered the council or represented the council is usually determined with the full involvement of the traditional ruler of Imota, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Ajibade Bakare Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota and there is no sign that this has changed in any way.
Although, the incumbent Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Agoro also has a major role to play in who will succeed him, and being a Prince and younger brother to the Ranodu, it is normal that he would be in agreement with the monarch and whoever that has their support is likely to emerge as the APC candidate in the forthcoming council election and ultimately, the council chairman.
Also, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, former representative , Ikorodu Constituency II among others will play prominent roles in who becomes the next chairman in Imota.
Aspirants jostling to succeed Hon. Agoro are Hon. Sunday Benson, the incumbent Vice Chairman, Hon Fagbesan Muhammed, the incumbent Secretary to Imota LCDA, Prince BabatundevOredoyin, the incumbent Council Leader, Mr. Hassan Anjorin, Supervisor for Education, Comr. Odumosu Rafiu Abiodun Ashaka, Mrs. Solarin Morayo Akinyemi, former SLG, Dr. Jimi Adejo, a lecturer in LASU, Mr. Kunle Gbotifa, former Speaker Youth Assembly of Nigeria.
While the sitting Vice Chairman, Hon. Sunday Benson is well connected and enjoys the support of the JF leaders across Ikorodu Division to succeed Hon. Wasiu Agoro, the incumbent Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Fagbesan we gathered has the support of the incumbent Chairman, the Ranodu of Imota and the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II.
In this contest, the chances of the Council Leader, Hon. Oredoyin, Supervisor for Education, Hon. Anjorin and the CDC Chairman, Comrade Ashaka can also not be wished away because of their influences and connection.
