Former leader of the Ifelodun legislative arm, Hon Kabiru Lawal, has descended heavily on Ifelodun LCDA Chairman, Hon Olufemi Okeowo, over his performance as he winds up his first tenure. He said giving him a chance for a second tenure would not benefit Ifelodun residents and the All Progressives Congress Party.
He said that his desire to bring a more people-oriented positive change, and programs that will correct the mistakes of Hon Okeowo’s first tenure are part of what prompted him to aspire for the position:
“Our party is dying, we the leaders cannot control the zones and even the councilors are not the ones controlling their wards. The chairman took away everything from them. Imagine setting up a committee to look for people to be given palliatives and empowerment. At the end of the day, the people given the empowerment do not add any value to our party because it is a serious sin to ignore the party machinery that brought you to the seat.
“Such things are undermining and killing the enthusiasm and love for our party by members who only enjoy dividends of democracy, while their benefits as party members are now reversed to non-members. Rather than allow leaders who know the terrain and who know who to call during the election, however, ordinary people who benefitted will be the ones saying, ‘They just called and gave me derica of rice and semo, but they don’t know that I do not vote’. Please, who will suffer it during election season, and who is going to control these people on election days? He queried
According to him, Okeowo’s major undoing to the party is his worry if he will be given a second term ticket, adding that the chairman’s programs and policies are not promoting the party, as he is only promoting himself with public funds, rather than naming projects Ifelodun Tax payers money because it is built with public funds but he names them after his name. He could rather be putting the APC flags on the projects for people to know that the party is doing something. It is ‘Okesolar, Okemoney and if you search the vouchers used to cover the expenses at the council, that name would not be recognized
More pathetic he said, is that the people expect more projects from this government that has collected more allocations than the previous government, and the party men are supposed to be happier, rather than expecting party members to come and knock on his door or kneel before he hands out to them
Lawal noted too that Okeowo has not done well, as his predecessor Hon Fatai Ajidagba left very good programs particularly the annual December Health Mission which promoted the party. And the Ajidagba School project which gives bags, sandals, books, and uniforms to every pupil and not the Okeowo selected pupils school program.
Equally discrediting to this present government is his packs of indomie empowerment from a government that gets much more allocation than the Ajidagba regime.
“This whole lot is what I am coming to correct if I emerge as the Council chairman. Though people are saying that we do not have money, I know a lot of people who did not have money before they emerged and they are now billionaires today even though I contributed money for some people.
“It is not first about money but about God who ordains people for positions
“This is my first major aspiration because the first one was within a caucus and did not reach the party level and the other never exceeded the ACO group. This very one is on my own and I believe whoever buys form is a contender and on this, we are waiting for the party guideline
“I heard an allegation from them that I said, since the incumbent Council Chairman met me in the party that I cannot attend meetings in his house but I have records of my being in his house. However, he has not stepped into my compound even during his campaign time despite that we stay in the same neighborhood. Alhaji Sometan met me at the party and we held meetings in his house anytime I was invited and same also with Alhaji Awe from PDP a former Mainland local government Chairman, also met me at the party. I attend meetings in his house anytime I am invited and even Commissioner Jamiu Alli-Balogun, I also attend meetings in his house, so how does one who does not invite me to meetings in his house or office expect me to come?
“Anyhow, this my aspiration has crossed the Rubicon, just like that masquerade that is already out, people cannot say they don’t want to see it and I am looking for nothing other than the Council Chairman’s seat. I have better programs for the people of Ifelodun”, he announced.
Speaking about his group, the Omoluabi group, the aspirant said, “I reserve my reasons for downplaying this noble group that I have used for massive mobilization into our party, for our state leaders because recent activities have made other party members to be discouraged from mobilizing into our great party.
“In fairness, Hon Kolawole Taiwo did a lot in mobilizing into our party, likewise I, Kabiru Lawal Omoluabi. Initially, we did not mobilize beyond our wards, but because of the election we lost in 1998, we launched beyond our wards. So Omoluabi consequently became a very popular political group consisting of members of other groups like PMG, Allied group, and friends from other areas beyond our wards. Later HKT left to form his exclusive group but we still used Omoluabi as a launch- pad to support HKT since his group was not really in our ward.
“Sadly enough, when groups have mobilized people into power, their agents will turn around to ask people what you would get from groups that are not in government. It is in the same vein that I hear Okeowo ask people which group they belong to before he can hand out to them but during election, we work as a party.
“I decided to downplay Omoluabi group to avoid agents coming to sow discords by canvassing them but I tell you that Omoluabi group is still alive and in existence”, he explained.
Lawal noted that the welfare of the party people is at its lowest ebb in the local government and people who tried to correct certain things via criticism have had their little benefits severed even merely liking such posts of criticism on social media has earned people victimization as their little favor from the government is cut off.
“I am aggrieved and I want to put things right for my party people and return their joy of being in politics and reward their labor for their party”, Omoluabi boasted.
