LAGOS GUBER AND THE LIKELY RUNNERS Our correspondent in this report gives a brief on those perceived as likely to contest for the Lagos State governorship seat in 2015 and reports that the fight will continue to be between the candidates of the ACN and the PDP. As the 2015 general elections draws near, over a dozen governorship aspirants particularly from the two main political parties in Lagos; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have shown interest in fielding candidates for the Lagos State gubernatorial seat as Governor Babatunde Fashola’s constitutional two terms will expire in May 2015. Our correspondent found out that there is serious lobbying among those holding political offices both at the federal and state levels to succeed Fashola. Among those said to be interested in vying for the ACN ticket include; the current commissioner for works and infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji. Others are, the commissioner for environment, Mr.Tunji Bello, Dr. Muiz Banire, commissioner for agriculture and cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the immediate past Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Akin Ambode. While on the PDP platform, only two persons have so far shown interest. They are, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro and Mr. Owolabi Salis while Chief Jimi Agbaje who contested the governorship position against Governor Fashola in 2007 on the platform of Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) is interested in contesting in 2015 but yet to decide on which platform to try his ambition. There’s a current clamour within the ACN for the governorship position to be zoned to Lagos East Senatorial zone as it is argued that Babatunde Fashola , comes from Lagos Central while his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is from Lagos West. If the governorship slot is eventually zoned to Lagos East as it is being canvassed by the people of Epe zone of the state, the move will put paid to the governorship ambitions of Dr. Kadiri Hamzat (Lagos West), Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos Central), Gbolahan Lawal (Lagos Central), Muiz Banire (Lagos West), and Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos West) as possible contenders, leaving Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Akin Ambode and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji to test their popularity. Reports however have it that ACN strongman, Bola Tinubu and Governor Fashola have endorsed their choice candidates, making Tinubu and Fashola to have different opinion about who will fly the party’s flag in Lagos State come 2015. The unconfirmed reports have it that while Fashola prefers the commissioner of works and infrastructure, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat to succeed him, Tinubu preferred his former Aide-De-Camp and commissioner for agric and cooperatives, Gbolahan Lawal. State chairman of the party, Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale, said the party’s leaders “are not talking about the governorship election yet,” stating that the party was yet to deliberate on such issue.” Ajomale , however, expressed strong opposition to the principle of zoning, noting that the principle is a PDP formul and not ACN’s. He said: “We do not believe in such ideas. We believe in picking the best” adding that the next governor of Lagos can come from any part of the state. Adeyemi Ikuforiji He is the current Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. He contested the 2003 election into the House on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) to represent Epe Constituency 1 and later emerged the Speaker of the Assembly in December, 2005. Between 1982 and 1983, he served as the General Secretary of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in Ward A4, Epe and was an active member of Social Democratic Party (SDP) of the same ward. His current position has made him popular among Lagosians and is he is believed to enjoy the support of party leaders in the state. He may however have to wait for either Tinubu or Fashola as their decision on the issue would matter a lot. Senator Ganiyu Solomon He was elected in April 2007 to the Senate on AC platform for the Lagos West Constituency and was re-elected in 2011. Earlier, the Senator was elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1998 on the platform of Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) but did not take his seat before General Sanni Abacha’s death. In 2003, he was elected the chairman of Mushin local government Area. His records at Mushin speak well of him but just like the other contenders in the ACN, he has to get the nod of the national leadership of the party. Dr. Kadiri Hamzat A son to Lagos West senatorial district leader of the ACN, Chief Olatunji Hamzat, (now Oba of Afowowa Community in Ogun State), the young Hamzat enjoys Governor Fashola’s support to succeed him being one of the longest serving commissioners in the state since the days of Tinubu. He was the commissioner for science and technology under Tinubu and now commissioner for works and infrastructure. Fashola recently described him as ‘Someone who understands the workings of the state government.’ The support from Fashola may have given him an edge, but may not amount to much unless endorsed by Tinubu. Prince Gbolahan Lawal He is a Prince of note in the state belonging to the Ojora family. He is the youngest among those that have shown interest to succeed Fashola within the ACN. A graduate of University of Port Harcourt, Lawal as a Superintendent of Police in 2000, was appointed as the Aide-De- Camp (ADC) to ex-governor Bola Tinubu . He remained in this position till 2007 when his principal bowed out of office. He later emerged as special adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on special projects and coordinator of the acclaimed Lagos Youth Agricultural based Empowerment Programme (Agric-Yes). In July 2011, he was appointed the commissioner for agriculture and cooperatives and has retained the position till date. Many say he is Tinubu’s anointed candidate. Muiz Banire He is currently the national legal adviser of ACN. Prior to his foray into partisan politics, he was a senior lecturer in the faculty of law at the University of Lagos before he was appointed special adviser to ex-governor Bola Tinubu in 1999. He rose to become the commissioner for transportation and later moved to the ministry of environment as commissioner under Tinubu. He later served in that capacity under Governor Fashola between 2007 and 2011. He is believed to have stepped down from contesting in 2011 and was compensated with the position of the party’s National Legal Adviser. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro Popularly known as ‘Koro’, Obanikoro is a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana. He has served as a Senator between 2003 and 2007. He served as commissioner for home affairs and culture in 1999 under Tinubu. He once served as the chairman caretaker committee of Surulere Local Government Area on the platform of National Republican Convention (NRC) and later chairman of Lagos Island local government. In April 2007, he ran for the governor of Lagos state on PDP ticket and lost to Governor Fashola . Sources in PDP say the politician from Lagos Central is fortifying his structures in preparations for the governorship primaries. It is not certain, if his ambition will be supported by the pro-Bode George forces in the party. In 2007, George’s camp rooted for the widow of the late Mr. Funso Williams, who was the party’s 2003 flag bearer. Chief Jimi Agbaje He is a Chieftain of Afenifere and among those warming up for the Lagos State governorship, ahead of 2015. He is a pharmacist by training from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and the Managing Director JayKay Pharmacy Limited, Lagos. He contested governorship race in 2007 on the platform of Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) and lost to Fashola. He has since left the party and has not been linked to any political party till date. However, since the beginning of this year, sources close to PDP leaders said the party has been mounting pressure on Agbaje to defect to their party with the assurance that he would be offered the ticket for 2015. It was learnt that notable PDP leaders that had visited him were Chief Bode and former works minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe. Daily Trust reliably gathered that the pressure being mounted on Agbaje this time around has the tacit blessing of President Goodluck Jonathan. It was gathered that PDP is bent on winning Lagos State and is looking for a credible candidate to face the ACN or All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate come 2015. Chief Agbaje is seen as acceptable to people of Lagos. In an interview with our reporter, Agbaje admitted he still has governorship ambition but he is yet to decide on which platform would he come out. Owolabi Salis: Owolabi Salis is a Lawyer and Accountant. He has practiced in the country for a while before he relocated to the USA in the mid-90s. On return to civil rule, Salis developed interest in politics and in 2007, sought the nomination of the PDP as its governorship candidate in Lagos but lost. He nevertheless contested the 2007 election as the governorship candidate of the Alhaji Lateef Jakande-led Action Party of Nigeria (APN). In the run-up to the 2011 elections, Salis returned to the country and contested the primaries on the platform of PDP and lost to the party’s flag bearer, Mr. Ade Dosunmun who later lost the governor election to Fashola. who is the best by your own standard?
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:57:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015