LAHA 2019: HON SAHEED IBIKUNLE SAYS HIS ASPIRATION IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE CALL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE, PROMISE TO RESTORE IKORODU’S LOST POLITICAL FORTUNES

Honourable Saheed Oladapo Ibikunle, popularly called Omoluabi needs no introduction in the politics of Ikorodu and Lagos State at large. He is one man who has comfortably combined his passion for community service with politics and an ever towering academic qualifications that is very rare among his contemporaries. The passionate community builder, who recently completed his PhD programme in Educational Administration at the prestigious University of Lagos, where he bagged all his previous degrees is a politician with many colourful feathers to his cap.

The erudite scholar who has been rumoured to be under intense pressures from well meaning Ikorodu stakeholders to contest for the assembly seat has finally declared his readiness to replace the incumbent, Hon SOB Agunbaide. At the well-attended formal declaration and press conference, Hon. Ibikunle stressed that, his aspiration to represent Ikorodu Constituency 1 at the Lagos Assembly was borne out of calls from well-meaning Ikorodu stakeholders for him to join the race and give Ikorodu a new direction in terms of legislative representation.

In reeling out some of his outstanding community and political credentials, Hon Ibikunle said that his passion to serve Ikorodu started from his selfless community service, through academic development of Ikorodu youths. The vision, which he said gave birth to the famous Ultimate Education Concept (UEC) has produced thousands of graduates from Ikorodu. He cited the case of one Princess Kemi Ladega, who he stumbled on the street of London as one among many of his youth development records in the community.

Omoluabi took his audience to the memory lane, reminding them of how, as a long standing progressive, he has remained loyal to the party, from the days of the Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, AC , CAN and the current All Progressives Congress, APC where he has remained faithful to the party, even when he has been asked to step down for other aspirants in past elections.

He also asserted that, as a man who was born, raised and has consistently lived among his people, he possess as unequalled native intelligence of the Ikorodu community, its people and their peculiar challenges and needs hence, placing him on a higher pedestal above other aspirants in the race.

Speaking on some of his contributions to the development of Ikorodu community, Omoluabi informed the gathering on his achievements of facilitating the launch of the Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH Annexes all over Lagos State between 1999-2015, stressing that, thousands of Ikorodu residents who ordinarily would not have been able to combine studying with their business and careers were able to do so by bringing the LASPOTECH campus to their doorsteps.  He added that, the singular educational intervention also created employment for about 88 teaching and non-teaching staffs. This is apart from creating several indirect business opportunities for many residents.

While serving as the Secretary to Ikorodu Local Government, Omoluabi stated that the discovery of the once forgotten Ikorodu House at Victoria Island, which has become a major revenue generating source for Ikorodu local government as another landmark achievement of his service to Ikorodu division.

On the reason why he feels he is most qualified to represent Ikorodu at the state assembly, Hon Ibikunle cited his intimidating academic, professional and political profile, which he said cannot be found among any of the other aspirants as his unique edge that will guarantee excellent representation of Ikorodu at the state assembly.

On what he will do differently, Ibikunle promised to open three (3) Constituency offices across Ikorodu LGA, Ikorodu West and North LCDA, unlike the current situation where the incumbent is serving the entire Ikorodu local government and two local council development areas from one constituency office, thereby making it difficult for the other LCDAs to have easy access to interact with their state representative.

In his brief remark at the declaration event, DG of the Omoluabi Campaign team, Mr Giwa Imale assured guests that, Omoluabi remains the most formidable among the aspirants jostling for the Ikorodu Constituency 1 assembly seat. He added that, his opposition to the fourth term agenda of the incumbent stemmed for his inability to use his good office as the Majority Leader of the Lagos Assembly for the benefit of Ikorodu as a community.

Giwa cited the loss of one of the Ikorodu division’s Commissioner slot, the non-inclusion of any Ikorodu’s sons and daughters among over 90 Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and recent loss of Ikorodu’s Lagos State House of Assembly Commission, LAHASCOM board membership as some of the proofs that the incumbent lack new ideas and innovations to take Ikorodu to political Eldorado.

 

 

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