Kunle Adelabu
The representative of Ikorodu federal constituency, Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, continued his community engagement across the six council areas under his constituency with a charge to residents of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to improve on their electoral values by delivering 80% of the total registered voters to his party – All Progressives Congress (APC) – come 2027 General Elections.
Rep. Benson, who expressed his disappointment at the poor voters turnout in the council in the last general elections when Ijede recorded 5000 votes, was joined by Ogboni Fuad Oki, an APC chieftain who also demanded for a complete turnaround, stating that they have no excuse not to deliver maximum votes going by what they have benefited from the administration of President Tinubu and the representation of Rep. Babajimi Benson, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun and Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba.
The lawmaker who facilitated the ₦15billion Pacific/Igbe Laara Road project said that he will only flag -off the road for construction if he gets an assurance that APC candidates especially, President Bola Tinubu will get massive votes. He urged the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA) and the Executive Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, to provide him with the assurance.
“Although Ijede LCDA is small but the Council Chairman, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba and member representing Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, are always up and doing and using their youthfulness to bring the best out of Ijede and attract developments. But with all that they were doing before 2023, they were not that entrenched in the system like they are now.”
“Also, I myself and Sen. Abiru too, but after 2023, that we facilitated the Abule -Eko to Ewu Owa Road and also facilitated the Pacific /Igbe Laara Road worth N15billion and approved by Mr President, which has been causing uproar. It is because of Motunrayo and AMA.
”But I was disappointed in the result of votes from Ijede in 2023. Then, Imota only had 1000 votes but Ijede still tried with about 5000 votes.”
Rep. Benson, who led other 359 federal constituencies to deliver the highest votes for President Tinubu in 2023, informed stakeholders and residents of Ijede LCDA that they have no reason to not deliver maximum votes in 2027.
“With the scheme of things at the moment; with your 144 CDAs and 48 polling units and 29, 000 registered voters, you cannot be doing 5000 votes except you are happy with that”
Speaking on why CDC/CDAs are being saddled with the responsibility to drive the people in the grassroots for massive turnout in 2027 general elections, Rep. Benson, explained:
“You can see what the President is doing at present and is still going to do and your 29, 000 registered voters are not even enough. If we, again, go about the forthcoming general elections the same way politicians have been handling it, we might not get more than the 5000 votes of the past. That is why we deemed it fit to involve the CDC/CDA to drive the mobilisation, I am sure that we will get nothing less than 300 votes in each of the 144 CDAs.”
“It is the CDA that can go door to door informing the people of what Mr President, Sen. Abiru, Jimi Benson, AMA, the chairman and the new Kabiyesi, have been doing. Through this, we will get things done. That’s why we are putting the CDC/CDAs in charge this time around. We want you to drive the votes in the grassroots and there are still so much to gain from having massive votes.
”You should always remember what we have brought into Ijede and we are still bringing more.”
He gave a subtle threat to drive home his seriousness concerning the demand for more votes, when he informed the audience that he will hold off the flag -off of the N15billionn Pacific project, while further assuring them of further developments.
“We are going to hold on to the official flag -off of the Pacific/Igbe -Laara Road constriction until AMA and Motunrayo give us assurance that they have received confirmation from you CDC/CDAs that 80% of the 29, 000 registered voters will be delivered, that is when we will flag -off the road.
“We will still do more roads, schools and sports facilities among others if you deliver on your votes. Let’s work together to achieve the target. We are ready but give you support to achieve maximum votes.”
“The politicians have done it and they can only get 5000 votes, let us see if CDC/CDAs can give us 20, 000 votes in Ijede LCDA,” Rep. Benson said.
Ogboni Fuad Oki, APC chieftain also speaking demanded more from Ijede LCDA residents stating that their LCDA would not have come into existence without President Bola Tinubu.
He urged that APC must get maximum votes, emphasising that they have come to the CDC/CDAs to unlock the votes in Ijede and other places.
Ogboni Fuad Oki also called out Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba, Chiarman, Ijede LCDA AND placed the responsibility on her to ensure that the votes are delivered.
He stated that the forthcoming elections provided opportunity to repay and correct the loss of the previous general election.
Representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), stated the engagement initiative is serving as the first stage of campaign towards the January 2027 elections, following the ban lifted on Presidential, Senatorial and House of Reps campaign.
He said that the federal lawmaker is approaching the campaign in another way by placing more responsibility on the CDC/CDAs that have control of the grassroots to deliver maximum votes for APC.
“The main reason that Hon.Babajimi Benson is organising this stakeholders meeting is to make the CDC/CDAs know that this time around they are the ones that will lead the re – election of our father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, election of our incoming governor; Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, re -election of Sen. Tokunbo Abiru; his own re -election, and my humble self’s re -election.
”This is to officially commit this assignment into your hands and we expect that you will deliver maximum votes to appreciate President Tinubu, Senator Abiru and Hon. Benson for all that they have been doing and will still do.”
AMA added: “Already, we have made commitment at the state level that we are going to deliver 250, 000 votes and this is part of achieving that commitment and we need your full commitment to this assignment.”
Speaking earlier, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo -Alogba, Executive Chairman, Ijede LCDA, thanked Rep. Benson for initiating the community engagement initiative and for always standing by Ijede LCDA.
Chairman, CDC Ijede LCDA, Alhaja Kehinde Fesomu in her remarks welcomed the initiative which she stressed would unlock votes and bring more development to Ijede.
The community engagement coordinator, Mayor Muhydeen Sanwoola, in his interaction with stakeholders in each of the wards, emphasised the need to win residents into the APC folds before the election.
He took CDC and CDA stakeholders and elected and appointed political functionaries in each of the wards on strategic mobilisation and structured process of getting more residents to vote.
Also at the engagement were Hon. Femi Kabir, Vice Chairman, Ijede LCDA; Hon. Salisu Fathiu, former Chairman, Ijede LCDA; Prince Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan, Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly candidate, and Alhaji, Fatai Lasisi, Commissioner, Lagos State Civil Service Commission among others.
