Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
The
battle for the political control of Lagos State in the next political
dispensation swayed in favour of former Governor Bola Tinubu with his
supporters sweeping the stakes at the All Progressives Congress House of
Assembly primary held on Monday.
Although the influence of Tinubu is not
in doubt within the opposition party, members of his immediate political
clan in Lagos are at loggerheads with him over the choice of who
becomes the governor of the state in the 2015 governorship election.
The incumbent Governor of the state, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola, who was picked by Tinubu as the APC candidate in 2007
amid bitter complaints from aggrieved governorship aspirants, clinched
the governorship via a landslide and won a re-election in 2011.
The larger-than-life image of Tinubu
within the party has become a source of worry for many members of the
party, who believe that the party was fast becoming synonymous with the
Tinubu family.
While Fashola is favourably disposed to
the candidacy of a former Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and
Attorney General, Olasupo Fashola (SAN), Tinubu is favourably disposed
to the candidacy of a former Accountant General of the state, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode.
With the clean sweep that the supporters
of the former governor recorded on Tuesday in the Assembly primary that
recorded four deaths, Tinubu’s continued control of the legislature is
likely in sight.
From Agege 01 and 02 constituencies,
where Messrs Yinka Ogundimu and Mudasiru Obasa emerged as winners of the
primaries to Ikeja, where Jimi, the son of the APC National Publicity
secretary, Lai Mohammed, and the grandson of the late Abibatu Mogaji
emerged as winner, Tinubu’s supporters swept the election in the 20
Local Government Councils and 30 Local Council Development Areas in an
emphatic fashion.
His supporters won in Ojo, Ajeromi,
Mainland, Kosofe, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju, Somolu, Ifako-Ijaye,
Oshodi-Isolo, Ikorodu, Shomolu, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos Island, among other
councils and LCDAs.
It was learnt that the faction opposed to
the hegemony of Tinubu won the two seats in the Surulere council even
as it won one seat in Mushin and Badagry.
Many chieftains of the party, who spoke with our correspondent, declined to have their names in print.
A chieftain of the party said, “The
struggle is largely between Ambode and Shasore. Negotiations are
ongoing. Ambode has an edge as of today but things might change,
depending on how the two sides manage the situation.
“The two sides are meeting this night.
There might be an alliance this night. Nobody has the capacity of Tinubu
in the party. The only way to defeat Tinubu is if all the aspirants
present one person. Leke Pitan is a good candidate but he doesn’t have
the financial capacity.”
However, the Publicity Secretary of the
state chapter of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said it was not true that
all the winners in the exercise were loyalists of Tinubu.
When asked why the children of party leaders were declared winners, Igbokwe said it was not partiality but part of politics.
He said, “This election period is also
payback time for those that have consistently served the party. Don’t
you think that Chief (Henry) Ajomale deserves to be rewarded having
served the party meritoriously? Don’t you think that as the chairman he
would have a strong hold, on his constituency?
“Don’t you think Lai Mohammed’s son
deserves the party ticket if he is qualified? Are you saying that if a
person is qualified, but because he is a party leader’s son he should
not be given the ticket?
“These are the leaders who are always on
the ground not those who only hold ward meetings during election
periods. In case you are not aware, 10 lawmakers lost in their
constituencies. That shows that the election was free and fair.”
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