Abacha is a saint compared to Obasa in terms of stealing public funds - Enilolobo

The caretaker Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Alhaji Abdullah Enilolobo during a media parley with AlimoshoTv and some selected media organizations, cleared the air on the crisis rocking Alimosho Federal Constituency. He explained why he is being criticized within and outside constituency for no reasons other than hatred for his person.

Exercpt:

Q: In brief, who is Enilolobo?

A: My name is Abdullah Ayinde Enilolobo. I'm a devoted muslim. A grassroot politician. My journey into politics is not by accident but determination to contribute my qouta to the betterment of the society.  My journey never started today, it can be traced back to the return of democracy in 1999 and I have been actively involved since then. I have held several offices. The rise in my political career can be attributed to my skill in mobilisation. Since 1999 during the electioneering campaign of our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed and subsequent ones up to that of the current Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu.

Q: It was alleged that you were a vulcanizer, how would you react to this claim?

A: Thank you very much. The vulcanizer issue did not start today. This has been a usual attack on my person. It all started from before you become anything in Alimosho, Enilolobo will demand for N30 to N35 millions. They also alleged that I decides how the the local governments allocation were spent and disbursed and I fixed my girl friends into political offices.   

 

So, the vulcanizer allegation is too petty to me and a lot has been said in the past. Isn't it a profession ?  Are vulcanizers not  humans?  Are vulcanizers criminals? Are they murderers ? When has been a vulcanizer makes one less human?

The second issue raised was that my mother was a tenant. This is even more pettier. Who amongst us has never stayed in a rented apartment before? Is been a tenant criminal? If you look at all this, it is just to give a dog a bad name to hang it. Well, all they are writing about me makes me happy and I will tell you why. Had it been all these allegations were true, I would have said they got it right.

They are all short of reasonable things to write about me. The reason for tagging me a vulcanizer and referring to my mother as a tenant is because the external forces causing disaffection in Alimosho have recruited one boy by the name Ejigbadero to cause chaos in the constituency.

One good thing about African culture is that tell me who your parents are and I will tell the type of person you are. If you are getting married in a normal Nigeria - African setting, firstly, there would be a background check about your family. 

Funninly, it is those who joined us in 2015 that are laying claim to our political victory thereafter. We had conducted more than 10 elections before Ejigbadero joined us, why would he boasting of assisting us to victory. By now, you should know why they have chose to attack my parent(s), it is because of his background. Ejigbadero is riding on our success. 

Regarding the fact that his father killed someone on the day of his naming ceremony, this is about him. His father father been a murderer was the reason why they are bringing my mother into the Alimosho crises and me been a vulcanizer. 

By integrity and politically, Ejigbadero is like a primary five pupil to my standard. He needs a long political experience and processes to match my standard.

Q: But information has it that Ejigbadero has been in the politcs before 2015?

A: Well, I don't know about his political pedigree. When he came, Joke Orelope denied him. She never wanted him to be part of us due to his lifestyle. Mind you, politcs is a game of number. You can't join us in 2015 and laid claim to our electoral victories. What about out the previous ones?

In fact, the people that accepted him were suspended by the party including the ward chairman. He cannot influence us.

Cuts in... you said Joke Orelope denied him entrance into APC in 2015 but my interactions with him revealed that he has been around for a while and even contested for elective post?

A: Where? Under which party? Atleast we should see his posters and the name of his party. I don't know him been in politcs before 2015.

AlimoshoTv: It was gathered that your party, the APC needed Ejigbadero and his boys to win elections at some times.

A: I will be very careful in answering this. In the institution we met him, we called them ‘Fine boys'. Against all odds, I ensure that Ejigbadero was the cordinating head against what others wanted. How can he now tell us he is a force to be reckoned with?

I ignorantly made that decision thinking he was level headed and a different person. What was his politcal contributions to his ward and LG before 2015? Look at Fatai Shodimu, his politcal sagacity is 90 to 10 against Ejigbadero. We accepted him too. Claiming to be a force is so ridiculous.

In what sense was he a determinant factor to our electoral value ? I have been in the party since 1999 and participated in many electrons. Anyone can join us. Allowing him into our folds does not make him a super person. His input is inconsequential. 

Well, I like the young chap and the institution he represented that was why. All the other groups from the six local governments fought me to a standstill for choosing him to coordinate the 'fine boys'. We were even held to ransom at Egbe-Idimu because of him.

Q: How would you react to the allegation that you are trying to disenfranchise Joke Orelope group and others from participating in the coming party’s registration and validation exercise?

A: Laughs... When was that? I'm just hearing this. Let me tell you, just this morning, I was called from America to go online and read what has been said about me regarding meting the so -called Ambode treatment to governor Sanwoolu, that I boasted he won't return for a second term because he stopped picking my calls. 

Haabaa! I did not say that. I called Mr governor last week and we interacted well. In fact, the purpose of my calling him was positive. They were just trying to create problems between us. How can I deny those who are not up to 10 percent the right to register. Let them bring cripple persons, everybody will be registered. 

They have reasons for all these blackmails. It’s basically to get the attention of our leaders up there so that I can be handcuffed or relegated.  Let me quickly correct an impression, as for Aunty Joke Orelope and Hon. Oduntan, in Alimosho we are one. Hon. Oduntan was a former Assembly member and there are ways of determine who will represent us. If  they don't get what they want, they will fall out. That is why they are desperately searching for external help. 

Why would they be crying for registration we are yet to start? Like you (pointed to AlimoshoTv's representative), I know you to be an Alimosho person and except you don't want to say the truth, we are stronger than them. They don't have the number. In terms of rating and all, we are better than them. Why are they crying before the D-day?

Don't take them serious. They are not up to us in all ramifications. Hence their resolve to propaganda on social media. Another of their lies is where they said I granted and interview and told my associates that we would prefer Ogbeni Aregbesola to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be the president in 2023. This is nothing but an attempt to create confusion and problems between me and our principal (Asiwaju). 

I'm just granting an interview now. I have challenged them to bring the tape of such interview and those associates of mine that I discussed such with. They came up again that I mobilised money fo Sanwoolu campaign, for your information, I mobilised no kobo. They also went as far as creating problem between me and my God that I have shrine in my house. I don't have any shrine, I am a devoted muslim.

I urge you journalist to verify claims before publishing. How can they say things they can't substantiate. Local government election is less than six months and what we know how to do is to mobilize people but for them it is  character assasination, and this is to show we have the people and they have the lies to crucify me.

Cuts in... but sir with my experience of over a decade as a political correspondent, lies, cheating and propaganda were an integral part of politics, why is it strange to you?

A: Due to time, let me quickly tell you this. Politics is not necessarily about lying and propaganda. I put it to you if politicians that determines peoples prosperity should engage in lying and propaganda isn’t there going to be a problem? One of the reasons for their hatred towards me is that I wont tell lies. I’m a very straight forward person and they hate these attributes. All am about is that I wont  take your money to support you. I do tell people they should spend their money. And anyone that emerge is not due to financial capability or those who are not isn't about money. 

Qoute me, nobody has become anything in Alimosho for his deep pocket. Nobody quote me anywhere (He beats his chest). But now, they are using external forces to fight us.

To add to my earlier statement, all works are 'dirty'. There is no proffession without it's hazard. So, saying politcs is dirty is as result of individuals reality and attitude. What makes politics looks like a game of 'dirty people' is because there is no screening of members. It is a game of all sorts of people where everyone must talk. Even a 'mad man’ at meetings would be allow to talk.

Q: Lets talk about political thuggery.

A: Smile... where do you expect me to see thugs? To join politcs needs no CV, no antecedent and all, the only requirement is just be a human. It amazes me how reasonable persons praise Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa who is a thief in government?It still amazes me with all the bank accounts he operates, the late Sanni Abacha is a saint compared to him. Those praising Ejigbadero whose father we all know was murderer are demented.

They wrote a petition against Alimosho local government chairman. In the petition, the sum of N7m contract was to be transferred to me and the guy in question could not proof it. They invited me that N6million was transferred to me. The question is where is the teller? And can't they get the bank statement from the bank? The man that claimed N6m was paid into my account later said the money was paid in tranches. One inside the bank and cant remember the person's face. You can see how clueless they were. The three happened, 7m contract and 6m into my account and later by hands. 

This is nothing but a lie to paint me black. I challenge the guy to bring the teller out since the incident happened in 2019. You don't just invite someone without proper investigation but they are only witch-hunting me. Why can’t the Assembly call the bank in question?

How else can I exonerate myself that I didn’t granted an Interview that Aregbesola is better than Asiwaju? It is easy to alleged people but the onus is on you to proof it. I am still saying it, my boss, Aregbesola and myself are solidly loyal to Asiwaju. Aregbesola even told us Asiwaju is contesting for the presidency that we should try our best to mobilize for him.

Q: Will the crisis in Alimosho APC not affect the chances of your party in the forthcoming local government elections vis-a-vis the complaints that there were no meaningful development in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA. Secondly, you referred to Tinubu as the sole candidate of your party when he has not even emerged?

A: Yes. In Alimosho, Asiwaju is our candidate as far as the 2023 presidential race is concerned. 

On the crises in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, I don't think that would pose a problem for us. Since it’s the people that are contesting and not family, we will mobilize and defeat them. There is always noise during elections. We have had people who left the party and returned afterwards. 

For instance, Falade and some others left at a time. It has also happend that Akin Bashiru left our party and I called him to know why and wished him well in the Accord party he went to. He could not defeat us not defeat us at the polls.

What have they not said about my political grandfather Asiwaju? They even linked him to EndSARS protest and at the end, who lost most? Pressmen, I can tell you categorically that Alimosho don't give politcal positions for money.

Dear pressmen, we need your help to assist in telling the truth. You must be distinctive. No political office holder in Alimosho can tell me he had N10m in his or her account beforre giving opportunity to serve. So, it is not about money but leadership decision. It is those who want to be in power for life that supporting dissenting voices in Alimosho. 

I challenge Obasa and co to come and do what I'm doing but they cannot because it has always been about them but what I'm doing is for the betterment of the people and the community. They said Obasa is the speaker but to be speaker you must first be human. 

How is been a vulcanizer makes one less human. Obasa created Obasa Movement in Agege. The leadership of the party said groups should be disbanded and he changed it to Bola Ahmed Tinubu's group. Well, we will not restrict anyone from registering. We have the structures, all the six LG chairmen, the state assemblies and national, the 36 wards, all 36 youths and women leaders. If they mobilize ten persons we would mobilize ten thousand people, I can say this boastfully. On the last question, Agbado Oke-Odo is a residential area and the money is small compare to what needed to be done in terms of infrastructural development.

Enilolobo ...thanks for your time.