As APC youths in Alimosho continues their quests for liberation from alleged shackles of slavery, Alhaji Abiodun Ishola Ejigbadero in this interview with AlimoshoTv, bares it all on why he is leading the crusade to end godfatherism in the once peaceful Tinubu’s country.
Excerpt:
AlimoshoTv: Can we meet you?
Ejigbadero: My name is Alhaji Abiodun Ishola Ejigbadero.
AlimoshoTv: Otoge Alimosho! What does it stands for?
Ejigbadero: It has two meaning; Interest of the party is one and enough of godfatherism is the other. Otoge is basically to end godfatherism in Alimosho politics. We are the party soldiers. We have been very loyal to the leadership even at risk of our lives. I have full commitment with the party, my money, my time and my people but we were not treated right. It is just some selected few that are benefiting from our sweats.
I can recall a terrible incident that led to the death of two of my boys while trying to rescue Hon. Olufemi Adebanjo (Eyes open) and Hon. Jelili Sulaiman from Aeroland boys in the build up to 2015 general elections.
I received their SOS call about 1am on the fateful day. Sadly, I lost two of my boys to the ugly incident and my branded buses were vandalized. We spent almost N7million naira on their hospital bills, burial, their families upkeep & other expenses out of which N5million naira was from my personal purse. Majority of these so called Alimosho leaders showed no concerns afterwards except Hon. Femi Adebanjo who later gave their wives N500,000 (Five hundred thousand) each after two years and scholarships to their children.
In fact, it was a tug of war before we could get N500,000 (Five hundred thousand) from Senator Solomon Olamilekan Yayi. They died for the APC and what has the party leaders done for their families? What they do is to donate N1million to one million people and at the end of the day, able bodied men and women with families to feed will go home with either N1000 or N500. It is that bad.
Most of my boys are graduates, struggling to succeed in life and they thought working for the APC could help in putting foods on their tables but reverse was the case because of the bad and greedy leadership we have in Alimosho.
For years, I ensured I pay their wives monthly allowances for their upkeep. Our so called leaders never for once show empathy because they are so heartless and selfish. Sad!
AlimoshoTv: When this incident happened did you at any point in time call any of the leaders attention to the welfare of their families?
Ejigbadero: Thank you. What a good question. They all know and do is to make empty promises. It was only “Eyes open” that played his part. What if I was the one that died? It means life goes on. Well, I never joined politics due to poverty, God has blessed me to an extent. I have been in politics since 1993. I was part of M.k.0 Abiola’s struggle. I have contested for elections before in the past. But Alimosho politics is so funny and ‘peculiar’ where the leaders prefer nonentities above the intelligent ones.
They dislike independent minded individuals. They prefer those they can push around. You can Imagine 18 people gathered and referring to themselves as the G-18. The question is are they the wisest? Are they the ones who have suffered most for the party? I still don’t get what qualifies them to be leaders?
They have turned Alimosho politics and its leadership structure to a cult group where elective positions are given to those who are ready to serve their interests forever at the detriment of the electorates. At the time I joined them and up till now, I can tell you that 95 percent of the members are suffering. Their looks say it all. My office here is a Mecca of sort for party members who needed one help or the other because these leaders and most of our elected representatives including the local government chairmen are not easy accessible to them.
Let me take you back to the last local government elections, the most difficult election in the history of Alimosho because majority doesn’t want the candidates the so called leaders imposed on us across board. There was a time I confronted Enilolobo that Alimosho local government belongs to just two persons; the council chairman and the party chairman Hon. Fatoki because other stakeholders were all kept in the dark. What they do is to use us during elections and dump us afterwards.
AlimoshoTV: You talked about a million naira- talk more on it?
Ejigbadero: These people are like Olympics, they come once they need you. They are not straight forward. How will all these boys share the laughable money they gives them. Oftentimes I add to it so that it will be enough for the boys. I have not benefited anything from them. It is only when there is federal constituency meetings that you will see them announcing figures to pacify party members. At the end of the day, beneficiaries will struggle to go home with N2000.
None of them have ever given money that would make any party member successful in life. All they give them is crumbs.
Even the Okada job they gave me, my boys are not getting anything from it and I have asked them to return it. Is it the market ? Sola Kehinde is the most beneficiary and mind you the market was built on my father’s land. They are not doing anything for me, instead I do for them.
AlimoshoTv: It was alleged the Oto’ge Alimosho is not about the people but some external forces pushing you to do it. What can you say to this?
Ejigbadero: Well, if they say so, good for them. May God not give us a Moron as a child. The leaders are not taking care of the party members. As for me, I’m okay. They kept saying they are taking care of me but the question is, can you give a loaf of bread to a woman with ten children? My brother, go and ask the party members if their interest is well protected. They are comedians. They come for you when they need you. The worst of them all is Senator Adeola, anytime he made a promises he won’t fulfill it.
I challenge them all to show me just one person or one of their followers who is successful since he/she has been following them. They don’t build people. They prefer giving them crumbs so that they will continue to be at their mercy. The external forces they are referring to is Obasa. Mr Speaker is a friend and a brother. What bind us together is beyond politics. They have called me and I told them I have not seen anything that says Obasa is contesting for senate because 2023 is still far.
Besides, must it be Yayi all the time? Fighting for third term when you are yet to complete the second term? They are even planing against me. Someone among them called to tell me that they have hatched a plan to start spreading lies against me, that i do get money and jobs from them. They are jittery of Obasa’s alleged senate ambition. He can’t be rubbished, they know.
They are afraid am liberating the party members they were enslaving with peanut. They are scared are of me because of my influence on the youths. They will take people to Osun and all other places without providing accommodations for them. Now they know they are losing sympathy. All the money our Senator is supposed to be spending for the betterment of our people, he is busy taking it to Ogun state.
AlimoshoTv : How do you think this Otoge issue can be resolved amicably?
Ejigbadero: Well, these people are strangers. I have read one of their piece referring to us as thugs. How do you define a thug? And who is one? It is high time we allow the man in Egbe -idimu LCDA hold on to Egbe-idimu. Let the people of Alimosho LG control their Alimosho. It is time each local government stand on their own. How can someone in Ikotun decides who lead me in Alimosho? this is crazy. Look at Tinubu’’s leadership style, he keeps building people and making use of the best brains – you can asked them how many people they have build in the past years but would rather be building and buying houses everywhere without no known job or clear source of income. It’s terrible.
AlimoshoTv: How do you think this Otoge can be achieved because the leaders own the party structure?
Ejigbadero: Smile… we are all the structure. You are the structure, he is the structure, we all comprise of the structure. Besides, this is a fight for freedom. If the party members still at this point in time feels we should continue serving these few people, it then means they are not ready to be freed from their shackles of slavery.
This time, everybody must have a say on who will lead us not an imposed candidate. Meanwhile, let each person face his or her LCDA. The best way to go. Why should they always tell us who to and not to talk to or how to act and all. It is only a thief that look at other people’s properties.
AlimoshoTv: Your last word for the party leaders, party members, and the general public?
Ejigbadero: Firstly, the so- called leaders should not lead this party into disarray. Party members are suffering and they know. They should allow round pegs in a round hole. They should carry everyone along. They should reduce their power. The #EndSars protests have opened the people’s eyes.
Decisions in Alimosho APC’s should be made open instead of the secret cult like arrangements. The recent carnage that trailed the #EndSars really exposed and says a lot about them. It further shows that they are not in charge of their respective areas. We protected Alimosho, we talked to the boys and to the glory of God, no police station was touched because we were fully on ground.
As for party members, they should join hands with us to fight this just battle against the greedy leaders who have enslaved them for far too long. It is time to say no to “Babasope” .
Alimosho is now “connect -connect”. Our elective officer can’t do anything without these leaders. Assuming you want to see Asiwaju, you have to connect somebody from your unit who will connect somebody in your ward and that person too will connect to somebody in your LGA and who will now connect to Enilolobo. Haba!
If you go on your own to see Asiwaju you will be tagged a betrayal. Party members should jettisoned this type of thinking and be free. Aregbesola has no business here again. The time is now for freedom. The leaders are failure. They use you and dump you.
AlimoshoTv: Thank you for your time.
Ejigbadero: You are welcome.
