THOSE WHO PLOT TO UPROOT GAJ FROM NASS.*Their game plan

Hon Engr. Ganiu Johnson

COVER STORY. 

ECD can authoritatively report that there is a big plot to unseat Hon Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson, member representing Isolo Oshodi 2 at the Federal House of Representatives come 2023 elections.

 Events in Ejigbo in the later part of the past year 2021 reveal these plots as politicking in the constituency has enerstly begun.

Johnson is currently running his first 4 years term at NASS.

ECD investigations disclose that this plot to dislodge Johnson is being championed by two heavy weights in Isolo Oshodi 2 Lagos politics namely Hon Kehinde Bamigbetan and Hon Abdul Kareem Abdul Lateef who also wants a taste of the NASS pie.

The Ejigbo based duo were commissioners in Lagos state and wield enormous influence across the constituency.

The next challenger for GAJ is Hon Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu, currently member representing Oshodi/Isolo 2 at the Lagos House of Assembly.

Idimogu is also Ejigbo based.

Insiders say these men have sworn that GAJ, an Okota Isolo based politician, another former Lagos commissioner currently on the NASS saddle does not return to the federal house.

Hon Kehinde Bamigbetan

Renowned journalist and astute grassroots politician Bamigbetan was Deputy Chief Press Secretary to APC leader Bola Tinubu when he was Lagos state governor. He also was Executive Chairman, Ejigbo LCDA, Special Adviser to a governor and later commissioner for information in Lagos.

As a former LCDA chairman, he has the area at his beck and call. As SA on Communities in Lagos, he also spread further his brand across other Local governments in Lagos with more emphasis on his constituency.

Aside from having the ears of his boss, the APC leader, Bamigbetan is famed to have solid bonding with Chairmen, elders and leaders of the LCDAs in his constituency and will be banking on this wide network to clinch the position he has sought for since his tenure at the LCDA ended.

Since he announced his interest to offer himself to serve at the reps level come 2023 on his FB/meta wall triggering a wave of politicking, several groups have also endorsed him thickening the plot.  Wards and caucus meetings of his baby the Mandate Group has been rejigged to that effect. It was gathered from his inside sources that his recent bereavement due to the loss of his dear wife slowed down the politicking he had planned for the end of year.

Hon Abdulleteef Abdulkareem 

On the part of Hon Abdul Kareem, he had been Chief Imam at Alausa mosque, been adviser to governor and later commissioner in Lagos.

He has jump started his Itesiwaju group, a group that has galvanised his supporters in no small way over the years to actualise his dreams of dislodging GAJ.

Those who benefitted from itesiwaju before and now are currently pledging loyalty.

His yearly Islamic crusade and outreach held in Oshodi in December with a bigger bang than before. Those who attended noted the political undertone of his speeches at the event.

He must be banking on the Muslim interests in the entire constituency where he is seen as a lord.

Again he must be relying on his son of the soil status and his stronghold on Muslim parents in Ejigbo where he is proprietor of a big school to seek the office.

Hon Jude Idimogu

For Idimogu who is just about to complete his second term at Lagos House, an upward movement to the Federal House will oil his political ambition.

The Imo state born accountant and Knight of the Catholic Church who stole away with a victory in 2015 while still a member of PDP later jumped into the APC bandwagon in 2019 and believes that the Igbo votes in the constituency will be his for the asking when the time comes.

 Insiders say Idimogu also known as Igbo “apex leader” used this yuletide period just like the other contenders to continue his sensitization of his supporters on the task ahead.  

However, Hon Engr Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson the man they want to uproot has been called “Beacon of Hope”, ‘Surest Deal” and other grand names by his supporters who claim he is doing well on the saddle and should sail on into a second tenure.

Johnson was also commissioner for works in Lagos and is credited to having engineered many “infrastructural development and empowerment to the people of his constituency so far”.

He is also credited to have built and rehabilitated roads, schools as well as encouraged health and skill acquisition workshops across the constituency.

One of the trusted aides of GAJ told ECD that the many “positive contributions of Hon GAJ will speak for him when the second tenure comes”.

He said “it is a distraction to begin to talk about whether Hon Johnson wants to return to NASS when he is still busy delivering goodies of development and democracy to the constituency.

“In education, blocks of classrooms have been built and delivered in Isolo, Ejigbo and other places in the constituency. Or should we talk about the road interventions across the constituency in Okota, Isolo, Ajao Estate and Ejigbo? In real fact, Hon GAJ is God sent and has in three years surpassed all reps that have represented Oshodi Isolo federal constituency 2”

Yet he is roundly being criticised for not benefiting Ejigbo.

One of his critics in Ejigbo said “Ejigbo people have not benefitted from GAJ and his activities so far. May be it was ghosts that attended the workshops that they always talk about. Infact, we have reasons to believe that he brings in ghost beneficiaries from other LGA s and constituencies neglecting Ejigbo. What did Ejigbo people do to him?”