What to know about Banky W, Obanikoro, Ferdy, Bakare, Owolabi contesting for Eti-Osa Reps ticket

The candidates are Olubankole Wellington of the Modern Democratic Party (MDP), Ibrahim Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Omotesho Bakare of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tessy Owolabi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Ferdinand Adimefe of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).

Five candidates will take part in the debate Pulse Nigeria

Better known by his stage name, Banky W, Wellington has enjoyed a music career that has spanned nearly two decades in which time he has released four studio albums.

Despite his firm roots in entertainment, the 37-year-old has used his platform in the past to advocate for good governance at all levels of government.

Banky W ece-auto-gen

With the nation's urge for younger candidates to take the reins and control the course of the future, Wellington hopes his party can build a platform for young and credible Nigerians who are committed to fixing the country to have access to governance.

"We need someone to stick their neck out and pave the way. The problem is that we've always looked to our leaders for change. Instead, look in the mirror and look around you. We are the ones we've been waiting for all along," he said when he declared to run in November 2018.

Banky W ece-auto-gen

Wellington's legislative agenda includes job creation, gender equality, youth inclusion, education and affordable and accessible healthcare.

He also plans to operate a fully functional constituency office, hold quarterly town hall sessions, empower the youth, institute and maintain a scholarship programme for exceptional students, and run periodic medical programmes.

Like Wellington, Adimefe is also a political greenhorn. The 34-year-old is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Imaginarium Creatives, an integrated group of companies playing at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment.

Ferdinand Adimefe [Facebook/Ferdy Adimefe] Pulse Nigeria

Also known for his advocacy before he threw his hat into the ring, the policy designer and creative industrialist believes armchair criticism of Nigeria's problems will not help as much as getting involved in governance.

He's particularly concerned about the legislature because he believes Nigerians need a sizeable chunk of people who are concerned about service representing them and making laws that make life easier for Nigerians.

"To get Nigeria to work, we need strong and credible people in every position, at every level of our political strata. We especially need representatives who are true leaders, inclined to think holistically about their role in the economy and society and who are passionate about solving everyday problems of common Nigerians," he recently said.

Ferdinand Adimefe ece-auto-gen

His proposed legislative agenda includes bills on healthcare, education, labour, tax grants and incentive, and the creative industry.

He believes the lower legislative chamber has the power to change Nigeria's socio-political and economic realities and hopes to take advantage of that to help Nigerians.

Owolabi is another new entrant into politics whose burning desire to give the Eti-Osa people quality representation in the legislature has spurred her to get into the race.

Tessy Owolabi [The Nation] Pulse Nigeria

The 50-year-old businesswoman believes poor leadership has left the country in a terrible state, a situation she hopes her contributions can change.

"I have been saying enough is enough as an activist and now I want to try my best as a politician to help improve the quality of governance in my dear country," she said during an interview in 2018.

Her concerns include youth unemployment, insecurity, hunger, poor social amenities, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability in governance.

"The motherly instinct of seeing youth roaming the streets helplessly pushed me into the race," she said.

The candidate wants more women to get involved in politics and be involved in the decision making process that'll contribute immensely to nation building.

Unlike Wellington, Adimefe, and Owolabi, Obanikoro is not a stranger to the political scene.

Babajide Obanikoro [Twitter/@Jidekoro] Pulse Nigeria

The 37-year-old is the son of Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence who also lost the 2007 Lagos governorship election while contesting on the platform of the PDP.

For the Political Science graduate, politics was always an inevitable course for him and despite working in the banking industry and starting a chain of fish farms, that's exactly what has happened.

As far as experience goes, Obanikoro has lost two elections while contesting for the chairmanship of Obalende/Ikoyi Local Council Development Areas on the platform of the PDP .

Babajide Obanikoro [Signal] Pulse Nigeria

Since he dumped the PDP and joined his father in the APC in February 2018, he has gone on to defeat Hon. Akinloye Babajide, the current Eti-Osa representative, during the party's primary election.

Obanikoro's political sojourn, according to him, is about contributing to the development of his nearest community.

"Being in governance is not a means to an end, it's supposed to be service to the people which is what I believe I'm here to render," he said during an interview last year.

If he wins the election, Obanikoro hopes to make life easier for residents of Eti-Osa by pushing for "better infrastructure, health, road, schools and public libraries".

Unlike all the other candidates put together, Bakare has been here before. He contested in the same election for the Eti-Osa seat in 2015 but lost to Babajide of the APC.

Unwilling to be deterred, the 49-year-old, nicknamed 'The General', is contesting again to end the years of oppression and neglect meted on Eti-Osa residents, according to him.

The Business Administration graduate has spent years in the financial sector and also worked with other institutions such as True Foods Nigeria Limited, MICON Engineering and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Omotesho Bakare [ThisDay] Pulse Nigeria

With his self-acclaimed passion for accountability, fairness, and equity, Bakare wants to represent Eti-Osa in the lower legislative chamber of the National Assembly to improve the life of its residents.

"I am convinced in my innate ability to serve the constituents of Eti-Osa federal constituency, the party and the nation, especially leveraging on my wealth of experience to provide them with the level of service, performance and conduct they really deserve," he told ThisDay in a September 2018 interview.

To economically emancipate the Eti-Osa constituency, Bakare seeks to actualise resource management, develop human capital, create employment opportunities for youths, empower women, create educational support programmes, ensure quality healthcare service delivery, and ensure infrastructural development in the constituency.

The February 4 debate between the candidates will take place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.