– Akadri Babatunde Adeleke (Sayleke)

Ikorodu Must Not Gamble Its Strength: The People’s Mandate and the Strategy of Continuity

In every thriving democracy, the will of the people remains the ultimate authority. A fourth term in office is not a crime, it is a renewal of trust, a collective decision of the constituents, and a democratic endorsement of proven leadership.

The question before Ikorodu Division is not about tenure, but about value, capacity, and strategic advantage.

Hon. Babajimi Benson’s continued representation is not merely about an individual ambition; it is about safeguarding a position Ikorodu has painstakingly built into one of influence, relevance, and national visibility. Leadership at that level is not accidental, it is earned over time, nurtured through experience, and solidified through performance.

At a critical moment when Ikorodu is also eyeing the governorship, it would amount to political miscalculation of the highest order to abandon its strongest legislative voice in pursuit of an uncertain prize. Politics is not driven by sentiment, but by strategy.

The House of Representatives seat is not just a position, it is Ikorodu’s guaranteed power base at the federal level. The governorship remains an aspiration, noble but uncertain. Wise leadership does not discard certainty for probability.

To risk losing both the governorship and the Green Chamber seat is not just a setback, it is a self-inflicted political setback of historic proportions. No serious constituency knowingly weakens itself at both the state and federal levels simultaneously.

Hon. Babajimi Benson, as Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, stands at a vantage position where influence meets opportunity. His years of legislative experience, national networks, and proven capacity to attract federal presence are assets that cannot be transferred overnight.

Replacing such institutional weight with a newcomer, regardless of goodwill, would inevitably reset Ikorodu’s progress at the federal level. Experience is not inherited, it is built.

Therefore, the path forward is clear and uncompromising:
Ikorodu must consolidate, not experiment. Strengthen, not substitute. Preserve, not gamble.

A fourth term is not about elongation of power, it is about deepening impact, sustaining momentum, and respecting the will of the people.

The decision ultimately belongs to the constituents, and when the people choose continuity, it is not stagnation, it is strategy.

Thank you.