As more aspirants of Ikorodu origin continue to show interest in the Lagos East Senatorial Seat ahead of the 2019 general elections, one of the major aspirants for the position, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun, incumbent Chairman, Ikorodu Oga Development Association, IKODASS has received the formal endorsement of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu and paramount ruler of Ikorodu division, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi.
Oba Shotobi gave Abiru and his Team GOA 4 senate 2019 his royal public endorsement at his palace when the aspirant lead hundreds of Ikorodu residents across all walks of life to pay homage to the first class monarch during the GOA4Senate 2019 1-Million Man-March for PVC, a public mobilization efforts towards sensitizing residents of Ikorodu and its environs on the need to register and collect their permanent voter’s card, PVC ahead of the 2019 general elections.
While commending them on the march for PVC initiative, Oba Shotobi also admonished participants not to allow an unfit person to clinch the Lagos east Senatorial Seat come 2019, stating that such will spell doom for the electorates.
‘Abiru has shown what it truly takes to be a leader. He did it in IKODASS and he is still doing it. If you allow an unfit person to get there, you will have nothing tangible in return. What we want is somebody that can do it. He has been doing it before and I believe he will continue to excel in all his assignments. We all witnessed the transformation he brought into the annual Ikorodu Oga Day event and he I am sure he will do more’ the monarch submits.
Speaking further, Oba Shotobi said, ‘therefore, I urge you all to support our own son, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru, he is qualified and capable’.
Shotobi added that his personal and public endorsement of Abiru for the Senatorial seat was a bold statement, which should speak volume to the politically discerning minds.
‘And, for me to publicly come out to say all these and to give my support means a lot and I will continue to back him up’ Oba Shotobi said.
In the same vein, Oba Shotobi also prayed for Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, the newly elected Vice Chairman, Lagos East Senatorial District of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos State. He commended him for his past efforts towards the development of Ikorodu division and prayed that his new office will bring positive developments to Ikorodu Division as a whole.
Oba Shotobi also used the occasion to appeal to warring members of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ikorodu division not to turn Ikorodu into a political battle-field. The monarch advised disgruntled members of the party to embrace amicable settlement of disputes emanating from the last ward and local government congresses in the division, rather than taking laws into their hands.
Oba Shotobi also assured the people that himself and other Ikorodu division Obas will start going out to monitor activities at INEC registration centres from Monday, 2nd July, 2018 with a view to ensuring a more people-friendly registration processes.
While it is not yet clear if the endorsement of Otunba Abiru by Oba Shotobi has put paid to the aspiration of other Senatorial aspirants from the town or not, one thing that is very clear is that the endorsement of Abiru by the monarch has put him at a more vantage position to clinch the APC ticket, compared to other indigenes of the town in the race.
Apart from Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru, other aspirants in the senatorial race from Ikorodu includes a former APC State Secretary, Primate Charles Odugbesi and Princess Oyefusi, daughter of the immediate past Ayangbure of Ikorodu, who is running on the platform of the opposition, PDP.
Thousands of Ikorodu residents, comprising of youth groups, market men and women, APC faithful and other residents had defied the early morning rains of Saturday, 30th June to join the Team GOA 4 Senate 1-Million Man March for PVC campaign.
The procession, which started from Ipakodo Ferry Terminal in Ikorodu West LCDA, marched through Ayangbure road, Oriwu Road and Ota Ona, through Alhaji street, linking Adeniran Ogunsanya Road to Sabo round-about.
They later marched back to the Ikorodu round-about from where the procession moved to the Ayangbure palace to pay homage to Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi who blessed Otunba Abiru for the initiative. The monarch also commended residents for participating in the march.
The procession terminated at the Ita Elewa open ground, opposite the post office, at few minutes to twelve in the afternoon. The host, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru addressed the participants and charged them to walk their talk by making sure they register and collect their PVC.
