Idimogu speaks on electoral victory, promises more impactful representation

Honourable Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 02 in the Lagos State House of Assembly was recently re-elected for the second term. In this interview with SUCCESS Damian he spoke on his electoral Victoria, his plans for his constituency and other national issues.

         

You have just emerged winner at the poll, giving you another opportunity to serve your people, how do you feel?

My thanks goes to God almighty first, and our leader, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leader of all leaders, the man that always keep to his words.  For me he is one person that I like to learn from, because he is a leader that believes in his people, who believes that people made leadership. And naturally all of us, our focus should be on the people, treat them well, make sure they are happy, that is the essence of democracy. I want to appreciate him.

I want to appreciate Osonowo, we call him Peperito; he is a distinguished senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, and also a big thank you to Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudasiru Obasa, the Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, who happens to be my leader, somebody who also believe in me, and especially the members of the Lagos House of Assembly. My wife in particular for standing by me, she is my greatest supporter, my leaders. 

Then coming home in my constituency, the chairman emeritus, Otunba Henry Ajomole. The two obas, Isolo of Isolo, Oba Agbabiaka, and the Oba, Ojo himself, of Ejigbo, and I will not forget the two LA Chairmen, the executive Chairman for Isolo, LCDA  Shamsudeen Olaleye and the executive Chairman for Ejigbo, these are people who sacrificed their time. Then notable leaders as well as the present information commissioner and other leaders that has one way or the other helped, I want to say I appreciate all of them, especially the party members, who irrespective of my shortcomings accepted me,

My Igbo brothers and sisters, Eze Dr Christian Nwachukwu and co, Eze Nwoye of Eigbo, Eze Omogu Igwe Alamose and other Igbo brothers, those far and wide, they have being magnanimous to ensure that me being the only Igbo man in Lagos officially in terms of legislative activity, to ensure that I still come back, so glory be to God.

Let me not forget the Green Field, the former chairman, Nixon Okaro he is also a staunch member that has helped me concerning the Igbo Stakeholders in Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 02. God bless all of them.

Going forward, what do you think will be uppermost in your mind, what were those things that were left undone that you will like to see done?

This period, I thank God, I am not a strange person in APC, unlike before, then I newly decamped from PDP, but now I am a full member of APC, I have won election under APC,  so now I have no excuse to give.  My great party is the ruling party, both in Lagos State and national, so relationship is now better and effective, thank God the man in the House of Rep, Ganiyu Johnson, the Senate, Iyayi, our Governor all are APC, so for me it will be much more easier to attract dividend of democracy to my constituency unlike before.

The roads in Lagos now everywhere is bad, except areas like Ikoyi, VI, but other places, I believe the incoming governor, as soon as we are inaugurated. But I will build up more on personal relationship with my constituents and be more accessible to my people. This time around I want to be having frequently stakeholders meetings with my constituents, leaders in my constituency. More interaction, better interaction, things they need you get to know, those you can do on your own, you will try and handle it, those you cannot handle you push it to the state government and with their backing.

How do you plan to relate with your opponents in the election both from the primary state up to the grand finale?

We are talking, One is the son of the immediate past chairman of the party, there is no bad blood, it is a contest, if you win you take it but if you don’t win, but some time you have to feel bad, but it is not a do or die affair thing. The most important thing, I will continue to dialogue with them, wish them well and with time the animosity will just die, don’t run away from them because tomorrow you might still need their assistance. At times they might also need your assistance. It is not winner takes all, it is one family meeting in APC, loyalty to the party; that is it. The interest of the party is more supreme than individual interest.

There are expectations from your constituents as you are getting set for second term, what are the expectations?

I told you accessibility is one, you have seen people that come for one personal need or the other, you give them attention, but this time around I will make my constituency more functional, I want them to come to my office, I want to establish two constituency offices. I had one in Ejigbo, but I want to open another one in Isolo and I will map out days which I will let them see me. I want to be more effective, I want them to feel me more.

There is this age-long peaceful existence between the Igbos and the Yorubas but it appeared to have gone a big sour during the election, and now how do you think you can bring back this peace?

Yes I think people like you should also have to help me because I cannot do it alone on my own. It was a misunderstanding. Well it is dying down gradually but I know it has not died fully, because when issues come up it reminds them of it. The issue is that politics is game of interest; that was what happened. In the aspect of voting APC at House of Reps and Senate. They didn’t mind you voting Peter Obi, your president, but they say ebe onye bi ka ona awashi. They expected us after voting the president whoever you want to vote under PDP, but since you are here in Lagos you should at least vote their own candidate. But we are all learning including myself. It is not a deliberate effort, they just did it without knowing the implication. But most of them have realized it and that is why some of them came out en mass to vote during the governorship election and most of them voted APC.

But it is my responsibility to continue to educate my people, this business of politics is a game of interest and it is always better that since we that reside in Lagos to support the ruling government and to make it easier, the leadership of the party deemed it fit, looked at me as their brother and gave me ticket. PDP did not do that for any of their Igbo person, but most times again, they said, try and support your landlords, or the people you live with. It is not compulsion, you can vote your candidate in terms of presidency, but when it gets to House of Reps, senate vote their own because they are all representing Lagos State.

Going forward I don’t think that will happen again. But my Igbo brothers and sisters, let us understand this game. As I always say, PDP is not an Igbos party, it is not, they did not write Igbo name there, it is a platform like APC, it is a national party like APC. So I think it is my duty to also educate my people to understand that look this game is a game of interest, where do your interest belong, you protect your interest and your interest is your business, so you protect it.

As at today the ruling party is APC and the best interest for an Igbo man at least in Lagos State, move to APC, let us have a sense of belonging here, now we are talking about 2023, as you can see, the battle of leadership for the national assembly has started and there is not strong Igbo man there, these are the things we are talking about. When you shoot yourself on the leg, you can’t get it. Nobody gives you power and dash you. Like my leader Asiwaju would always say, power is not given alakat, you work for it. Obu ndorundoro ochichi. The person that has political power has a lot of control over all these things. So it is not too late for us, we have come a long way.

As the chairman of House Committee on Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, recently something happened around the Trade Fair Complex, your intervention

I am aware, the thing with trade fair complex is not a Lagos affair, it is a national affair, but that does not mean that I will fold my hands and I watch my brothers and sisters being deprived or being hunted. I think the thing has calm down now so it was not too a serious issue, but I think what our people are saying is taking pre-emptive action first before it is too late, may they have heard a rumour that the federal government, I think they say it has to do with tariff or something, the association didn’t like, concern may be asking them to leave, or they want them to pay a higher tariff, that is what they were protesting. I called one of the stakeholders I know there to give me feedback, but at the end of the day, I think the situation has calm down but I will be holding a meeting by next week with some of these stakeholders, lets know in detail what happened and how do we come into it, but as I said what happened in trade fair has nothing to do with Lagos State. We will see how we resolve the problem at the end of the day.

Finally, your advice to the youth of your constituency, people talk about issue of security and all that.

Oh no! Even today I call my DPO, there is a lot of; you know the country is not economically too friendly, people are hurt, a hungry man is an angry man naturally, and it is affecting everybody including myself. But it is our country it is our state and we cannot have a better country than what we have in Nigeria, but we can make it better. It is a collective effort as far as I am concern, so for the youth, well we continue to parley, I am looking forward for better relationship with the youth in my constituency, have more parley with them, discuss with them to see what we can commonly do together, at least let them see the presence of governance through interaction. So I will say that I have those plans in my chest, for now but we are waiting for inauguration for the 9^th Assembly to kick off.