Ikorodu came alive on Monday as a massive crowd mobilized across the town in support of Hon. Kazeem Adewale Omotayo, popularly known as Educay Junior, during a strategic rally ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primaries for Ikorodu Constituency I.

The procession drew supporters, cooperative groups, and grassroots mobilizers who marched with the aspirant from Anibaba, his late father’s community, through Ikorodu Garage to the Ayangburen Palace where he paid homage to the traditional institution.

The movement continued to Ita Elewa before returning to Anibaba, effectively covering key political and commercial hubs in the constituency.

Party members and residents who joined the rally described the turnout as a clear show of grassroots strength and unity ahead of Tuesday’s primaries.

Addressing the Press, Educay Junior described the mobilization as a final push to secure victory in the primaries. He emphasized that his aspiration was not a personal ambition but a movement aimed at redefining representation for Ikorodu at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

He stated that he was contesting as a product of the grassroots and urged party members to come out en masse to support a candidate who understood their realities.

He noted that his late father, Alhaji Educay, was a respected grassroots mobilizer in Ikorodu, and said he had sustained that legacy since taking over leadership of the political structure.

He recalled that during the 2023 general elections, the structure mobilized heavily for the APC, produced souvenirs, and contributed to the party’s victory in the area.

He stated that the same energy and organization were being deployed ahead of the primaries.

Hon. Kazeem also stated that the Cooperative Movement of Lagos State had formally endorsed his candidacy. He explained that the Cooperative Federation, with a membership strength of over one million across Lagos State and about 100,000 in Ikorodu alone, had thrown its weight behind him.

He said the endorsement demonstrated the level of confidence the cooperative sector had in his capacity to represent their interests and mobilize grassroots voters.

He added that organized membership blocs like cooperatives made it easier to deliver large voter turnout, which would significantly favor the APC in Ikorodu.

He referenced Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projection that the party would secure massive votes in the state, and said the presence of structured groups such as cooperatives made that target realistic in Ikorodu Constituency I.

Outlining his plans for the constituency, Educay Junior promised to prioritize youth engagement through music and sports as a strategy to keep young people productively engaged.

He said he would introduce structured programs including music competitions, table tennis, snooker, basketball, and boxing to give youths constructive outlets during their leisure time.

He emphasized that not every young person would pursue formal higher education or professional careers, but that sports and entertainment had produced global success stories.

He stated that creating platforms for local talent would help reduce idleness and steer youths away from negative influences.

On social development, he emphasized girl-child education and protection as a key part of his agenda. He pledged to work toward reducing cases of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, street hawking, and female genital mutilation in the constituency.

On infrastructure, he stated that Ikorodu still lagged behind other parts of Lagos such as Agege and Ikeja in terms of road networks and public facilities.

He promised to lobby the executive arm of government to ensure that the constituency received its fair share of developmental projects if elected.

He urged APC members and residents to see the primaries as a decisive moment for grassroots liberation and political change. He called on them to come out in large numbers, describing the exercise as a game of numbers.

The President of the Lagos State Cooperative Federation, Mr. Shobule Oladipo, reaffirmed the federation’s endorsement during the rally.

He stated that the cooperative movement was backing Hon. Kazeem because he understood the sector and had consistently demonstrated integrity over the last two decades.

Oladipo said the federation was confident that Educay Junior would represent the interests of cooperatives effectively at the House of Assembly. He added that the movement would stand by him through to the end of the process.