The Governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje, on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, stormed Ikorodu to hold a Town Hall meeting with the residents and electorate to seek their support and votes in the forthcoming general elections.
The town hall meeting, which was held at the Ikorodu Town Hall, was coming barely one week after the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) held a mega rally at the Ikorodu Ferry Terminal in Ebute, Ikorodu.
Agbaje was accompanied by members of his campaign team as well as candidates, chieftains and members of his party across Ikorodu division.
Before holding the meeting, the soft spoken guber candidate, who is a Pharmacist by profession, led his entourage, amidst tight security to pay homages to some traditional rulers in Ikorodu division.
The first point of call was the Ayangbure palace in Ikorodu where he met with Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Ayangbure of Ikorodu, and his traditional chiefs and sought their blessings and support for himself and other candidates of his party.
Oba Shotobi, while receiving the PDP candidate and his entourage, condemned military rule and urged politicians to eschew violence.
“There is no more room for military rule. We have experienced the military government but we were worse off during their time. Infact, military rule has been frowned upon and rejected worldwide.
He, however, urged politicians to realise that politics is not a do or die affair and that only one person would win a contested seat.
The Royal father demanded that Ikorodu division should be considered for developmental projects and its indigenes for appointment.
“It must be emphasized that Lagos Island is only one of the five divisions in Lagos. Lagos State resources must be shared equally amongst all the five divisions. I always pray that an indigene of Ikorodu will be Lagos governor so that we can made demands of him.
There should be equitable distribution of Lagos resources among the five divisions.”
In his response, Mr. Agbaje, who has his maternal roots in Ikorodu, promised that development would not be restricted to Lagos Island but would be evenly distributed.
He also explained the rationale behind his party’s decision to organize town hall meetings instead of campaign rally.
While counting himself fortunate to have visited the monarch on his birthday, Mr. Agbaje led a birthday song for the monarch, who turned sixty two (62) on the day of the visit.
From there, Jimi’s convoy moved to Aga where he and his team briefly visited the Chief Imam of Ikorodu, Sheikh Safudeen Olowooribi, before heading to the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo amidst cheerings from residents and PDP supporters, some of who followed the convoy on foot and on motorcycles.
At the Adeboruwa Palace, a crowd of PDP supporters and Igbogbo residents gave Agbaje and his team a rousing welcome and later ushered them into the palace hall where Oba Semiudeen Kasali, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, and his chiefs were already seated and waiting to receive them.
After a brief introduction of Agbaje and other PDP candidates by the party’s chairman in Ikorodu, Mr. Taiwo Adekogbe, Agbaje rose from his seat to address the gathering.
He informed Oba Kasali that he and his campaign team had come for a town hall meeting with electorate and residents in Ikorodu division but deemed it fit to pay him and his chiefs a visit and seek their blessings and supports since they are major stakeholders in Lagos state.
Agbaje explained that his party had opted for a town hall meeting to enable them meet and speak directly with the people and electorate and also listen to their needs and expectations from them when they get to power rather than organizing a campaign rally which would mostly be attended by party members and supporters.
He commended the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande for bequeathing enduring developmental projects to the state but stated that successive governments in the state since 1999 have failed in executing projects that can positively impact the lives of Lagosians.
Agbaje particularly decried the present state of the health and education sectors in the state and promised to address them if elected as governor.
He equally pledged that his government would complete the on-going construction of the Igbogbo-Oke Afa road and also ensure that Igbogbo and other parts of Ikorodu division enjoy equally development like other parts of Lagos.
The governorship candidate also assured Oba Kasali and his Chiefs that all the PDP candidates in Ikorodu division are capable and cerebral young people who would perform creditably well and be answerable to their people and not any godfather or party leader if elected.
He, therefore, implored the monarch and his subjects to support and vote for him and other candidates of PDP for better governance.
Oba Kasali, in a brief response, commended Agbaje for making constructive criticism on issues regarding governance in the state and for not abusing or attacking anybody while delivering his address.
He urged other contestants in the coming elections and their supporters to emulate Agbaje’s exemplary approach to politics and shun acts and statements capable of heating up the polity or cause violence before, during and after election.
The monarch also offered his blessings and prayers for the success of Agbaje and other PDP candidates at the poll.
Others at the event were Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Engr. Kunle Oduborisha, Hon. Omotolani Remotalahi Disu, PDP Federal House of Representatives Candidate, Hon. Ajagun Lamina, PDP House of Assembly candidate in Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Moshood Aro Oyenuga, PDP House of Assembly candidate Ikorodu Constituency II and Chief Duduyemi Onasanya, Odofin of Igbogbo, among others.