Chief Olabinjo Olanrewaju, is the Chairman of the United Area Club (UAC) of Ikorodu, a combination of all bases in Ikorodu Division, Lagos State and the General Commander, Onyabo Vigilante Group of Nigeria..
In an interview with Kunle Adelabu, Publisher/Reporter -in -Chief, THE IMPACT newspaper in his office in Ikorodu, he shared his thoughts on the “Ikorodu for Governor” agenda, stating that the agitation is still very much on course and assuring that come 2027, an Ikorodu son or daughter will be the next Governor of Lagos State. Excerpts:
THE IMPACT: Your group, UAC was involved with “Ikorodu for Governor” agenda and was also clamouring for the re -election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but after your rally to further the agitation some weeks back, nothing has been heard about the governorship agitation again. Will that be as a result of the rumour going around that the APC anointed a candidate who is not from Ikorodu?
Chief Olanrewaju Olabinjo: Outside of the rally, we are starting with consultations with leaders of the political parties. We are not talking about only the APC, we are talking about all political parties. Therefore, at present, we are doing our consultations. We are meeting them, and we are telling them what we need.
The issue of somebody being picked or not, we are not concerned about that. What we are concerned about is whichever political party picks our indigenes as their candidates will be the party that we will work for.
THE IMPACT: Sir, may I remind you that just last week — I need to break it down — the person that was selected, that is the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, visited APC leaders in Ikorodu during which he was endorsed by some. Do you still think that this does not pose any challenge to your agenda?
Chief Olanrewaju Olabinjo: We are not concerned, and it is not a challenge to us. We believe in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban of the entire world. And I believe he is a listener, and he knows how he does things. Bola has never mentioned anybody, and that is what we are waiting for. We are waiting for the anointed candidate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which we believe is going to be a son or daughter of Ikorodu Division. I can assure you that we believe in the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Bola has never said anything, so we are not distracted. We are still on board, and we believe our son or daughter will be the next governor of Lagos State in 2027.
THE IMPACT: Many have said that a major failure of the “Ikorodu for Governor” agenda is that the leadership and other promoters of the agenda in Ikorodu Division failed to push for a particular candidate or candidates, do you have any particular candidate(s) that UAC is pushing forward?
Chief Olanrewauju Olabinjo: If you look critically at what happened in the past especially during the electioneering period that produced Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, those that aspired were not picked. So, it seems that when you aspire for governorship in the party in question, you don’t usually get picked. That may have accounted for the situation whereby you do not see anyone among those that have interests declaring their intentions. Many of them have interests in contesting, but they know that the oracle, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, does not like such.
But, we have competent hands in the Ikorodu Division and I believe that he will pick one among them. If you look at Ikorodu today, we have capable hands like Yinka Ajenifuja, a young, vibrant lawyer who can also occupy that seat. We have the likes of Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, who can also occupy that seat. We have Abike Dabiri-Erewa; who has her roots in Ikorodu. We have the former Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable S.O.B. Agunbiade. We have Fola Tinubu, somebody who has been managing Primero and Hon. Babajimi Benson. So, we have capable hands who can do it — people whom Bola Tinubu has tested in one position or the other, and they did not fail. He will pick from them.
THE IMPACT: What is your final message to political parties and the people of Ikorodu?
Chief Olanrewaju: We are appealing to all the political parties in Lagos State that they should pick a son or daughter of Ikorodu Division as their candidate because Ikorodu has been marginalised for long, and now we want to take our position. We are part of the five divisions that constitute Lagos State: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos and Epe and all of these divisions have benefited, except Ikorodu Division. So we are appealing.
To my people, I will ask them to be calm, be resourceful, and also be prayerful, that by God’s grace, come 2027, our son or daughter from these local governments will become the next governor of Lagos State. Thank you.
