“I AM ONLY JUST A LEGISLATOR” COUNCILOR, KIRIKIRI TOWN (WARD D) HON. IBRAHIM. A. ABARI

Elected into office under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2011, Hon. Ibrahim Ajibola Abari, the Councilor representing Ward D Constituency of Oriade Local Government Council Development Area (OLGCDA), politically carved out from Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (AOLGA), solicitudes and
legislates in the Local Council House of Representatives for Kirikiri town, Navy town, Satellite town and even Beach land. 

In a brief standing impromptu chat with Kirikiri news at 10:20 pm yesterday (07-07-14) at Agunbiade street junction, Hon. I.A Abari has said that he is only just a legislator and if he has his way he would make Kirikiri town a golden city. He also added that many residents in his ward tend to misunderstand his position as a councilor; rather they glorify him as the Chairman of the Local Government which he isn't and has not intention to become, apportioning blames and buttonholing fingers at his position for all the doings of the government.

Here are some questions thrown to him in a critical space of 20 minutes.

Honorable, the flood on Johnson Street is a re-current disaster whenever rain falls, what have you done about it?

Thank you. The question should be what the government would do about it, not me. I am just an individual just live every other Nigerian in this community. I hold the position of a councilor which is the minutest rank in the consortium of the Local Government bureaucrats. I don’t even know about the flood in that area because no one has reported it to Area office or the Local government head office or even the Community development office. If any of these bodies have been notified, they would assess the situation and make ample reports to the relevant authority.

But, are you not supposed to be the eyes of the community to the government?

Yes, I am and that was why I was elected. We have the CDA, I mean the Community Development Association, they should know about this occurrence. They maintain this community. Many times, the residents do not understand that if they have any complaints whatsoever, there are appropriate authorities to lay it to, we have the CDA in Johnson street, and the Area office in Airport Road, and also the Local Government office in Satellite town, Ijegun area but they decide to keep it to themselves and only lay denunciations and indictments.

Are you saying that the residents are careless with critical information?

In a way, we all are careless with information because we are not perfect, only God is. But we encourage residents to always report occurrences to us for proper handling. That is why we are there, to serve whether you are Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Benin, or perhaps a foreigner, wherever you come from, we are there to serve you.

People always blame you, the councilor, for everything that’s not right in Kirikiri town, we don’t know about other towns where you solicit for, although from obvious surveys we know that they enjoy better amenities than Kirikiri town. What do you have to say about this?

Thank you. Look, like I have always said, I am only just a legislator. The word ‘councilor’ ‘doesn’t mean president or chairman or even a Lord. Let me explain something,

A councilor is a member of a local government council. In the United Kingdom, even in Nigeria too, all local governments are overseen by elected councilors; these may include unitary authorities, county councilors and district councilors, parish town and community councilors and the common council of the state (where they are known as Senators). According to Debrett’s correct form’ the English title ‘councilor’ if tend shortened ‘cllr’ only applies to elected members of the local government. However, there is no legal basis for this restriction and in practice the title is applied to all councilor levels at local government.

Councilors are typically elected as members of political parties or alternatively as independents. Councilors may also co-opt unelected councilors to fill vacancies on the council where insufficient candidate have stood for election, although in practice, this is a rare case in our country. Once elected, councilors are meant to represent their constituents in the whole authority, and not just those who voted for them or just those in the district they were elected in, they are bound by a code of conduct enforced by standards boards.

Councilors specialize in decision making structures. It means that we perform a range of different roles such as policy overview and scrutiny, executive decision making, political leadership, determining planning applications and community representation.

We enable communities to help themselves and provide a vital link between the local authority and the communities which they serve.

Non-executive councilors (CDA) now have more time to focus on improving the communities which they serve, and play more of a role in developing policy and recommending to the Executive, decisions to be made and holding them to account publicly for their decisions, through the scrutiny process, which provides a platform for real issues which affect communities Issues which can be raised by fellow councilors and members of the public alike, and for in-depth work to be carried out into those issues.

A councilor’s role is now one of influence rather than that of power, influencing the decision makers and holding them to account as well as influencing the key stakeholders within their wards. Councilors have a mandate now to lead and identify opportunities for change in a wide range of subjects which affect the communities, in which we live, to identify skills and resources within communities and to bring them together for the greater good, this, along with greater emphasis in local government over partnership working with health, police and fire authorities.

Do I continue my explanation or did I bore you?

Yes please, you should because the people will like to understand. But before you rightly and legally continue exonerating yourself from principal authority, what is the government doing about our roads and electricity?

Good question. As a councilor, I may have some hint on governmental plans and I won’t hesitate to share. Whenever we meet in the council representative meeting, I make sure itching ward issues such as power, road construction, basic amenities, pipe borne water and many others are raised for discussion. These reports are sent to higher authorities for approval and implementation. I know they have good plans for Kirikiri town.  And if I had my way, I would make Kirikiri town a golden city. Look at the Shokumbi road, road construction work ought to have commenced since June but due to the heavy rainfall these days, it hasn’t.

Sir, Look at the newly built government MDG’s solar water bore-hole project, someone used it as a billboard to display a vacancy advert, does this imply that it isn’t functional anymore?

It is functional. There was this heavy wind storm that swept across Kirikiri town and its environs, carrying away people’s roofing and properties (I also read more about it on your publication on fedricx consult blog (http://fedricxconsult.blogspot.com)), this wind also swept away the solar panel. Immediately after that, I personally contacted the technicians and they came to rectify it. I also put a call through to the number written there on display, the young man who answered me, denied ever writing such and I will make sure it is cleaned off.

You seem to be so reserved in the community, why?

I am always around; this is where I live, my family, my children lives here too. If anyone needs me, just a call and I will be there. There was a time one barrister Otokhina called me up. I have never met him but I went to meet him at the Johnson Street junction. He called because of a hip of sand that we wanted to use to level the street but due to our machines’ faulty state at that time, we delayed. He didn’t even know I could be this simple.

The CDA seem to be so impressive in their activities these days but some residents say complain about their level of serious mindedness which undermines their recognition?

The CDA are a body of young vibrant men and women who ensure the progress and development of the community in their capacity. I was with the CDA president some minutes ago before you saw me, we discussed some issues of the town, I must say they are doing a great job.

Is it because the CDA1 president is you brother that you vouch for him and his work?

Let us keep emotional and brotherly sentiment out of the way, the CDA are doing a good job but I must say they need to be more focused.

You were there when the Baale of Kirikiri town won an Award of Excellence from the Igunnuko Traditional Religion of Lagos State in Lagos Island?

Yes I was there; I was so happy that he won the award of such magnitude. He was happy too. He is well recognized. A man of excellence indeed.

Do you have any message for the youths?

Our youths needs to be more productive and be more competitive, we need to show our talents to the world, I know some youths who are doing well in the career and business and who live in Kirikiri town. I must commend you all. More grease to your elbow.

There actually wasn’t much time for Kirikiri news to bombard the Councilor as it should be but we stole some more five minutes to book another set aside day to interview him properly.

However, kirikiri news gathered from the councilor that the government pays the elderly men in kirikiri town some huge amount of money monthly and we hope to be there at the local government office at the end of the month when they go in numbers to catch them red handed.

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