Elders of the Ikorodu Division in Lagos have disagreed over the endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, and the All Progressives Congress candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Agbaje hails from Ikorodu while Ambode hails from Epe. However, Ikorodu has never produced a governor in the state before.

Expectedly, some Ikorodu elders led by Chief Babatunde Benson (SAN), had last month, endorsed Agbaje as the consensus candidate for Ikorodu and urged the people of the area to vote for him.

He said, “Agbaje is a professional and I will speak for him anytime. He is more qualified that Ambode, who was a civil servant handpicked by the leader of the party. Also, Agbaje is from Ikorodu and for the past 12 years, we have been promised the governorship only to be disappointed. We stand by Agbaje.”

However, two prominent Ikorodu leaders, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun and Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, have rejected the endorsement of Agbaje, describing it as mischievous.

Basorun, who was Secretary to the State Government during the era of former Governor Lateef Jakande, said in a statement that Agbaje never identified with the people of Ikorodu until now.

He said, “Agbaje had in 2007 publicly declared himself as a family member of the Onilegbale family of Lagos and therefore an indigene of Lagos division. Agbaje has never been part of any cultural activities (e.g. Ikorodu Oga Day, Igbogbo Day, Ajede Luwasa Day, Imota Ayayo Day), social or local organisation in Ikorodu Division.

“We the leaders and members of the APC in Ikorodu Division totally condemn and dissociate ourselves from the endorsement.”

Basorun, who was the founding chairman of the PDP in Lagos State before defecting to the APC, said the people of Ikorodu would vote for Ambode on February 28 because his party, the APC had brought development to the division.

He said, “This is the payback period for Ikorodu people to show appreciation for a government that has built a new ultra-modern High/Magistrate Court complex, new block for maternal/child care at the General Hospital, Ipakodo Mega Jetty, two skill acquisition centres, Imota Asphalt Plant, Mile 12 to Ikorodu roundabout six-lane expressway, gigantic housing estate at Igbogbo and Imota Rice Mill.”