Your Excellency, my dear Governor, I thank you for starting off well in office and for sustaining the confidence of Lagosians in the ability of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to choose capable leaders for every administration.
I thank you for the slots you gave to Ikorodu division and your new cabinet. Ever since you assumed office, I knew you were on the right path in your approach to governance and your plan of action. I had always told people around me that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a special gift of choosing and producing good leaders… experience of the past twenty (20) years in Lagos State confirms this.
I still recall my first meeting with you. You may not remember, but I cannot forget the day I came to your office when you were serving in the office of the then Deputy Governor, Mr. Femi Pedro, during Asiwaju Tinubu administration. I was around for approval of an advert in my newspaper, Oriwu Sun. You were the one to sign this approval. You called for the file and without hesitation, appended your signature for it to move to the Budget office for payment. I took particular note of you and have since been following your rise in the civil/public service until you became Governor.
When you were chosen as the APC flag bearer, I did not have any doubt about your competence. I may be old in age but I still have one or two useful tips, suggestions, counsel, etc. to offer to you as a consistent friend of the State Government for the past thirty five (35) years. Our ideas can blend with those of you, who are younger, to produce balanced results.
Much as we appreciate the appointments from Ikorodu, many politicians from my division seem not too happy because they feel that the right people on ground, who are closer to the population, were left out in the appointment while those who are far away from home were the ones chosen.
They contend that the notable politicians, who worked hard for APC’s victory in Ikorodu and produced the second highest votes in the State for the ruling party were dropped. They include Saheed Ibikunle, Mr. Olasunkanmi Tijani, Mr. Mayor Ajisebutu, Barrister Lekan Ijelu etc. These are credible, qualified and competent hands, who were expected to bag cabinet appointments. What eventually came to Ikorodu were Dr. Fredrick Oladeinde (son of Chairman of Ikorodu) as Commissioner for Transportation, Ms Ruth Olusanya, daughter of APC Chieftain in Ikorodu, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, who got a Special Adviser slot and Mrs. ……………………., also a Special Adviser from Ikeja Constituency, where she lives and operates, a quota meant for Ikorodu division. In effect, this division got only two slots in the new cabinet.
Politicians in Ikorodu division are saying that the two slots and the third one for an Ikorodu indigene in Ikeja were given to those far away from the grassroots. They are not party people; they are not accessible to the people and so, do not know the needs of the locals. One of them is said to be living in Lekki while the other resides almost permanently in Lagos. No one is doubting their competence, abilities or sincerity, but using a recent slogan, “They are not good party and home people’s candidates”.
Your Excellency, do you know, for example, that when the hint dropped that the daughter of Asipa Kaoli Olusanya was in the list of those to get Commissionership slot, her friends printed posters in advance to congratulate her. However, she eventually got a Special Adviser position. The only grassroots politician, who got a top post is Mr. Gaffar Bolowotan, who was made Director General in the Sports Ministry.
From the time of waiting for the first list of appointees to the second list, politicians in Ikorodu division were somehow disappointed that their expectations were not met. They still desire to have those they can easily meet and those, who know and can share the feelings and needs of the people of this division.
When they recalled that many of the appointees in previous administration only fed their individual pockets and interests and left the people they were supposed to represent in the cold, the fear was that the same might happen with the present appointments.
Personally, I have no objection to any of these present appointments if the criterion is on individual qualification. But if it is to satisfy the aspiration of the greater number of the people, especially those who worked to elect the APC in power, then a genuine case should be made for the aspirants, whose names were left out. As long as people ask who an appointee represents, then wishes of the masses will continue to count.
From the sidelines, people are asking whose lives these appointees have touched. Asipa Kaoli’s daughter is said to be living in Ghana while Dr. Oladeinde lives in Lekki. The other candidate lives in Ikeja; hence, none of them is a grassroots personality the people can see, speak with and work with. Dr. Oladeinde hardly comes to Ikorodu according to sources. Little is known about him except in his period in LAMATA. Mrs. Toke Benson, who is an indigene of Ikorodu but married to Mr. Awoyinka, lives in Ikeja and is said to have gotten the slot from Ikeja constituency, where she has influence.
I keep saying that I do not care who gets what appointment so long as such people deliver and bring dividends of democracy to Ikorodu division. Our division is grossly in deficit of infrastructure, especially roads, health care facilities, water supply and quality schools. We are only concerned about those, who can attract these facilities to the division and not those, who will build personal mansions within few months in office because of their appointments.
Not many people can boldly articulate these issues or bring them to your notice. Not many can tell you all these, and even our traditional rulers in this division are not happy about the development. I am saying these because it is under the purview of the media to give those in authority feedbacks from the governed (the people) so that they can look into them.
This division has many brilliant and competent human resources in virtually all fields to fill any strategic position in government; hence, we look forward to future considerations along the lines argued above. I know that you and your Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, want the best for the State. We are proud of the unity and understanding between both of you, which will surely take Lagos to higher grounds.
I will continue to feed you with constructive suggestions and criticism whenever necessary to improve your governance, which is why it is necessary for you to pick important calls from those, who can drop vital information that could help your administration.
I wish you and your Deputy a huge success in