From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Babaloja of Tejuosho Ultra-Modern Market, Phase2, Eze (Pastor) Okey Anorue, has tasked politicians to emulate the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, whom he said has performed exceptionally well.
Okey Anorue who is also Ezesinachi, the Eze Ndigbo of Igbogbo Kingdom, made the disclosure when the lawmaker representing Surulere State Constituency who is also the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming House of Assembly Election, Honourable Desmond Eliot, visited the Igbo Stakeholders at Tejuosho in Lagos on Thursday, March 16, 2023.
He stated that if politicians can emulate the speaker, Nigeria would be an Eldorado. He said “We appreciate our apex leader here, Right Hon. Femi Gbajabamila, he is a very good man, he is our father as far as Surulere is concerned. How I wished every constituency has such a man, Nigeria would not have had any problem; He would have solved the problems we are going through today, how I wished we have such a person, he is definitely a pacesetter to other constituency.
“In the area where I come from in Imo State, I don’t know whether a senator exists or if a House of Assembly member exists, they are not there. But here in Surulere we have what is called dividend of democracy.”
Speaking on the reason for bringing the Igbo traders under one umbrella, Anorue who was the convener of the meeting said “As the Babaloja of Tejuosho Market, I am one of the eyes of Igbo people within our environment, my previous position was the chairman of Yaba Traders Union, and many of them have collapsed to Surulere and they find themselves in different catchment areas, not all of them are in Tejuosho Market, I believe as one of them who have been over there, I must carry all of them in different catchment along, that was why I demanded the local government chairman and the House of Assembly member to join us and come and address the Igbo Stakeholders, I need to bring all of them together so that we can appeal to them to speak with one voice to support the incumbent Governor of Lagos State and our own, Hon. Eliot. This is exactly what I tried to do today. As a pacesetter, I need to do the needful.”
He spoke further, “We the people, all the catchment areas and the entire Igbo traders around the environment are feeling bad, we are not beneficiary of anything, and which is a serious concern, and many of them dwell within this circle, if every man, his wife, children, family and his apprentices have their PVC, you are talking of, maybe, six votes in one flat and many of them are living within the same environment, so you need to engage them.”
Speaking on the General Charter of Demands which was presented to the Lawmaker, Anorue said “It is not about telling the people to go and vote without turning in any charter of demand. Our own charter of demand is that they should look into the high rate of tenement rate on every shop and the level of touts threatening the traders, they should also look into it, and many other things. We need to let them know; because these people, it is not when it is election time you use them and dump, make them to be part of the system.”
At the event attended by the Surulere Local Government area, Honourable Sule Yusuf, the Babaloja encouraged the stakeholders to go back to their wards and convince their people on the need to vote Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Desmond Eliot “With this I am encouraging our people to do the needful, so that after this Saturday, when the results start rolling in, it will be good news, testimonies and the celebration will be all ours.”
He made it clear that if other markets are tagged against APC, the traders in Tejuosho and its environs would not want their markets to be tagged against APC. “This is an international market, the market that is at the center of Surulere, that produced the speaker, strong men and who is who in politics of APC in Nigeria, and we are not going to be the ones to devour this ongoing development. I know that there are many of our youths who have no jobs, who have nothing to do, some are those whose businesses, in one way or the other, have collapsed, I know opportunity of fitting them into the business of the day will soon come where we can present their names, and let the needful be done to them.”
He said there is need to carry the Igbos along as according to him, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
Hon. Desmond Eliot in his response said the Igbos in Surulere are important to him. “What we are trying to say is that you all are important to us, that is why we made sure we are complete here in order to hear you out, the party chairman in Surulere is here, the Chairman of the local government is here, the Chief of General Staff to the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives is here. As you show me love, we also urge you to show the same love to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of the State who is going for second term, because we would want to work with someone we can talk to, if you put someone there we cannot talk to, it will be difficult.
“As far as Sururlere is concern, we have heard you, we will be here for you, please, do our bidding and God will bless you,” Eliot stated.
The chief of general staff to Honourable Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, thanked the stakeholder for being instrumental to the election of the speaker for the six term, which he described as unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria, adding that his election was a testament to the Speaker’s performance in office, adding that he is ready to continue to perform. He said the speaker is a detribalized Nigerian who treats all people equally.
Hon. Commissioner representing Anambra State in the Public Complaint Commission, Lolo Emelda Nwajiofor-Okoli, appealed to his brothers and sisters to vote for Desmond and Sanwo-Olu. She tasked her Igbo people not to put her to shame and make sure they voted APC on Saturday. She also urged those that were harbouring any grievances to calm down.
Okoli promised the traders that if Desmond is voted she will personally take them to Alausa, where they will table their demands, especially on the issue of tenement rates. She thanked Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila whom she said was instrumental to her rise in politics. She urged the traders to vote APC in the forthcoming elections.
