The Concerned Citizens of Ikeja (CCI), has asked James Faleke, the House of Representatives member representing Ikeja federal constituency of Lagos, to return to Kogi where he comes from and contested for the deputy governor’s seat months ago.
Faleke contested as running mate to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Audu Abubakar. However, Abubakar died before the election was concluded thus throwing up Yahaya Bello as his replacement.
The CCI asked Faleke to show some respect for the Ikeja people of Lagos by returning to Kogi state rather than “not insult them by attempting to return to the seat after going to contest the deputy governorship seat.”
In a statement by Wale Fagbenro, its convener, the group advised Faleke not expect to be accepted back by the people despite attempts to blind them through an empowerment programe.
“Save for the death of Audu Abubakar, Faleke would have long gone to Kogi state and be serving as deputy governor.
“Moreso, Faleke would have emerged the governor of the state if the leaders had not insisted that Governor Yahaya Bello would be their candidate.
“Where did Faleke leave the people of Ikeja that elected him into the House of Representatives, when he ran to contest in Kogi state?” They queried.
The group added: “Where did he get the money he was spending to empower the people of Kogi state in the build-up to the governorship election? What are his achievements in Ikeja area of Lagos state since he got to the green chamber seven years ago?
“To say the least, this is enough for a man that has openly made it clear that he wants to go and rule his home state.
“The office should be left for the real people of Lagos and not those that would be representing an area in a state, but whose heart is totally in another state. The wool has finally been removed from our eyes, the people of Lagos State are now ready to do without the Falekes of this world,” they said.
The group warned that the recent empowerment held by the lawmaker in Lagos state was a ploy to deceive them ahead of 2019. They declared that the people of the constituency have vowed to free themselves ahead of 2019.
“Today he has come with the ace of deceit by calling the entire federal constituency to the sham of an empowerment program which is like flossing over an infested wound,” the group said.
The group also said the alleged claim by Faleke that he had been endorsed for another term by the national leader of the APC was not true.
“Just about a forthnight ago, while addressing a mammoth crowd of the members of the party in its ‘camp ground’ at ACME, Ikeja, Lagos, Tinubu disassociated himself and made it clear that only those the people want would emerge as candidates for the various political offices.
“He made it clear that the party would go through direct primaries and warned the aspirants against dropping his names,” the group said.
