Islanders Magazine

 

SENATOR OBANIKORO’S SON, IBRAHIM SPEAKS ON HIS SUCCESS AT THE TRIBUNAL AND RELATIONSHIP WITH ACN LEADER

Penultimate week, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Chairmanship Election conducted for Ikoyi-Obalende Local Government Development Authority (LCDA), Mr. Babajide Ibrahim Obanikoro , son of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro was declared winner of the poll by the Lagos State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal seating at the Ikeja High Court.

Islanders’ Magazine paid the stylish and philanthropic young and hardworking Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro popularly called IBO a visit in his Parkview estate, Ikoyi Lagos residence where he barred his mind to Islanders Executive Editor, Ola Muhammed on issues bothering on his recent victory as the chairman and other shocking issues. 

WITH THE RECENT RULING OF THE ELECTION TRIBUNAL, HOW DO YOU FEEL?

Firstly I thank the almighty God for giving us the grace to see this day, it is very important to always put God first in all our endeavors and that was exactly what we did during and after the election. In addition we also committed the whole activities unto his hands during the hearing at the electoral tribunal as well.  The outcome of the electoral tribunal is a replica of what actually transpired on the 22nd of October 2011, you will recall that after the elections we complained about the foul play in the election results, because the results weren’t collated yet LASEC went ahead to announce result even outside the Local Government which was against the laws. We presented our evidence but our respondents who also had the privilege to forward theirs didn’t. Despite the speculations and against all odds the tribunal judges proved us right, we’ll like to use this medium to thank Hon. Justice Dolapo Akinsanya and Magistrate Ojo Eti , there were five of them and we thank them for laying good precedence.

 A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO BE IN THE OFFICE BY NOW, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THE RECENT APPEALED FILED BY THE ACN PARTY?

With due respect I am disappointed in them because there are not noble men pardon my language I know for a fact that deep down their heart they  know they did not win the election because if they actually won they would have brought the primary documents that is the form 9A which is required to prove that they won the election they refused to bring it and lasec who announced the election also failed to tender the same form , I was the only one who produced the forms and here they are there are wasting time, resources and money of the citizens on court appeal, I believe that the  truth will prevail very soon, it’s just a matter of time.

WHAT ARE THE STRATEGES YOU ADOPTED THAT WORKED FOR YOU TOWARDS ACHIEVING YOUR VICTORY?

Before the Tribunal hearing we already outlined our case, we knew we won the election we know what we want, so we consulted our learned counsel, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) seeking their services and they obliged us and we also consulted some lawyers as well to form a team and they were able to convince the judges that we won the elections. All we did was to provide all the necessary information they needed, we were patient, resilient and we believed, we thank God our efforts was fruitful.

 IN 2007 YOU CONTESTED FOR A SEAT AT THE ETI OSA CONSTITUENCY AS AN HONORABLE AND IN 2011 YOU ALSO VIED FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMANSHIP TICKET RATHER THAN A SENETORIAL SEAT AM I RIGHT TO SAY THAT YOUR FATHER INFLUENCED YOUR POLITICAL AMBITION?

Like the popular adage goes “There’s no smoke without fire” I have always had political tendency in me right from my JSS 3 and SSS 3 I knew would go into governance because I was studying Government classes and I enjoyed those classes, I think in secondary school those were the classes I paid more attention that is Government, social studies and Moral studies. When I gained admission into the University, I studied Political Science as my first Degree and later studied Public Administration for my masters during the course of the year my dad shed more light on Politics for me but my interest in Politics contributed more to my Political antecedents through my father’s influence I was able to relate with most of his Political Friends because they visited us mostly and I’ll say that contributed to my interest as well. Initially when we ran for state assembly we were looking at influencing decisions not making decisions, my priority then was to review some of the laws and to introduce one or two laws as well. One of the laws I wanted to be reviewed was that of the Hotel Occupancy Laws that charges you whenever you make use of any hotel on the Island, I felt residents on the Island are already being charged in terms of taxes, rates and what have you. I also wanted to appeal to Companies within our constituency to employ our youths as well; the issue of Certificate of Occupancy at Obalende was a burning issue that has been on for over ninety- nine years though we didn’t clinch that ticket we believe God had his plans for us at the executive level. When I nurtured the interest of the Chairmanship seat, I felt we could implement the issues aforementioned opposed to influencing them at the state assembly. This Chairmanship role gave me the opportunity to be hands on deck to impact people’s lives directly. We just remodeled our initial plans for the assembly to fit into the programmes of the office of the Chairman in Obalende. So that is how we’ve been able to jump from the Legislative office to the Executive office within a short period of time, we adapted to the situation at hand.

 

WHAT WAS YOUR WINING STRATEGY IN AN ACN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT?

I must say that my Party played its role while the IBO team played actively in ensuring the victory. The party had its own structure  and we knew it but there’s a reason why the structure wasn’t working in the state so the IBO Campaign team had  sit down to think and analyze in order to find out why the structure hasn’t worked in order to win elections in the State. We had to reach out more to the people by visiting the nooks and crannies of Obalende in reaching out to the people there. I remember I hardly slept during this period, if am not having meetings, am either on the phone or on the streets talking to people begging for their time in order to listen to me, a lot of hardwork was invested into it the IBO Campaign team was on the streets 24/7 in order to impact people for them to know the individual to vote for having reached them on a ‘one on one’ basis rather than the usual collective styles adopted by Political Parties. We thank God and the support of the people that we were able to do that.

DO YOU AGREE THAT HAVING A HAUSA MAN IN YOUR TEAM WORKED FOR YOU, ANY OPPOSITION ON THAT FROM YOUR OPPONENTS?

That was another strategy we adopted because we found out that Obalende Local Government is a diverse community, that it isn’t only dominated by the Yorubas, we have lots of Hausas and those from the middlebelts as well. So we brainstormed in order to figure out how we can reach out to these people, there were five councilor seats, two of them were from the middle belt, Hon. Emmanuel Egberodion from Edo State, he represented us in ward E, then Hon. Anthony Bourdillion from Delta, represented us in Ward B, there were three other honorable who were Yorubas at the Legislative level, so we felt the need to have the Hausas as well since they’re residents of the area as well, so that was why we decided to give the office of the Deputy Chairman to an Arewa Man to let them know that they’re part of the Community. We had few challenges within the Party when we introduced the idea of bringing in an Arewa man on board; we had individuals within the Party that kicked against it saying such had never occurred but we made them to see the reasons why we must introduced the ideas and as well let them realize the advantage. The opposition party brought it up during Campaigns but each time they do, it backfires on them. We were more in numbers and at alert we had a particular instance of an officer that was caught with ballot papers that had thumb prints on them, but we were able to arrest the situation. I recall how a councilor drove into the council with result sheets in his car but we were able to stop him.

LOOKING AT YOUR VICTORY AT THE TRIBUNAL, WHAT IS THE FATE OF YOUR COUNCILLORS?

We already filed an appeal and their case is still in Court, we believe we stand a chance. Just like my own case these people didn’t bring their evidence to Court all they did was to present the same Form 9A with numbers concealed and made numerous photocopies and tendered those photocopies as their form 9A. I believe that if the judges look at the case properly they will reverse the result and give it back to the deserved winners especially Ajose who had the largest Margin in the result which is over 800 votes to Onikoyi’s 400 votes.

WITH THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE BELIEVE YOU’RE NOW A PRIDE OF YOUR PARTY, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT IN VIEW OF THIS DEVELOPMENT YOUR DAD WILL NOW HAVE A SAY IN THE PARTY, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

We believe that is how it should be that is being a pride to the Party; the party will definitely appreciate our inputs due to the achievements of having a credible candidate that worked hard to achieve this laudable feat. With all modesty my father is too big and he isn’t greedy as well to pry into the affairs of my office, he’s not even interested in what we are doing in the office. He’s congratulated me but he hasn’t called me for once to ask or tell me these are the things he’ll like me to do in the office, that’s not the kind of man he is. Right now he’s taking his time without jumping into any conclusions because we all know what it is going through the rigors of elections.

WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF GOVERNANCE IN LAGOS STATE IN TERM OF POLICIES AND THE WAY PEOPLE ARE BEING GOVERNED?

With the little experience that I’ve acquired within the short period of Politicking I am not happy with the way ACN members handle Politics in the State, this is Politics it shouldn’t be taken too personal like they do and it is unbelievable! Ishau and I pray in the same Mosque and sometimes he’ll see me and act like he didn’t because he doesn’t want to greet me. There was a particular day I saw him at a filling station close to his office and I asked my driver to pull the car over for me to say hello to him, this man just waved at me and ran into his office. I wondered why he behaved that way, later that Day his PA called me to apologize on his behalf saying that the man said there were lots of people starring at him in front of his office that day hence his running into the office. And I said Politics should be healthier than that what about me swallowing my pride to come of my car in order to say hello? I asked if exchanging pleasantries with an ACN member suggests that I want to join the party.  I’m not seeking any favor but paying courtesy out of friendship, my father never taught me to burn bridges, rather he taught me to build and maintain bridges and that is what Politics is to me. I send him Birthday cakes every year not to bootlick him but because I used to have a relationship with him before my venture into Politics, we used to exchange phone calls until now. I visit Alhaji Lai Muhammed in his house regularly not because I need a favor but because we have a relationship that must be kept; HMO and RMO who are pillars of ACN are my friends as well.

HOW WILL YOU ASSESS THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR?

His Excellency has tried his best and I don’t think he can’t do more than he had done, I must commend his efforts as per the Roads and we place him high with the pedigree he had set but as per Education, there’s more to be done. There’s need to put the Educational structure in place, with the present structure our students can’t compete and excel internationally in such environment, I believe the government will look into this.

EARLIER ON YOU SPOKE ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TOP ACN MEMBERS, IF YOU’RE ASKED TO DECAMP TO ACN WILL YOU AGREE?

 

Before pitching a tent with PDP I carried out my own study on the Party will I excel between five to ten years from now and PDP was the party that convinced me of such ambition. To God be the glory I had this vision in 2010 now this is 2012 and look at where I am, and I thank God that I’m known at the state level though I want to be a part of the mainstream that is being known at the National Level. Nobody will ask me to leave PDP for ACN, the only thing that will make me leave the party are events and happenings and not individual influence. Situations at hand will determine how I make my decisions I have gone through a lot for me to decamp. I want to serve people actively Governance is about the People.

 

YOU’RE KNOWN TO BE HUMBLE AND FRIENDLY, DO WE STILL HOPE TO SEE YOU EXHIBIT THESE TRAITS WHEN YOU ASSUME OFFICE?

I will always remain Obanikoro Ibrahim my approach to life is very simple everything in this life is vanity upon vanity once you die they talk about you for like 2 or 3 years even your family members and that’s all. I love associating with people and encourage people  as well.

 

 

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SELF?

 

I am an easy going man I like playing ball I can play ball in the middle of water, am a family person I love meeting people and am sociable as well I used to go to parties but occasionally now I do not smoke or drink.