Kunle ADELABU
One of the aspirants for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat at the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Lekan Ijelu, has stated that he did not participate in the primary election held on Friday(yesterday).
He stated this while reacting to the outcome of the primary election where he was said to have emerged 5th with 367 votes.
According to the Ijelu, who is aspiring for the Assembly position for the fourth term, the directive not to contest in the primary came on the morning of the election and that since he has pledged to abide with the decision of meetings brokered by some party chieftains against the aspiration of the incumbent occupant of the position, Hon. Agunbiade, who is running for the fourth term, he had no other choice than to obey.
THE IMPACT had reported few days back that there was a plot by some political leaders within the APC to present a consensus aspirant against Hon. Agunbiade.
The initial attempt failed because some of the aspirants discovered that the leaders were attempting to impose a particular aspirant on them.
The move was reignited few days to the primary election as another meeting was held in the early hours of Friday but yet, they could not agree on a particular aspirant.
THE IMPACT also gathered that some aspirants were demanding for monetary and other compensations before they could agree to the consensus arrangement but those demands could not be met.
One of the affected aspirants, who spoke in confidence with THE IMPACT, stated that they were been pressurized into accepting the consensus aspirant but he was not ready to accept him.
“They have been pressurizing us to jettison our aspiration for a particular aspirant. In actual fact, the discussion has been on for a while but it was renewed few days to the primary election. We have endured subtle and at times, direct threat and intimidation”, he alleged.
The release issued by Barrister Lekan Ijelu, titled “The rebuttal of Lekan Ijelu inclusion in the purported House of Assembly election result being circulated on social media” and which copy was sent to THE IMPACT, states thus:
“It has become imperative for me to dispel the rumours making rounds about my participation in the Lagos Assembly Primary Election held on Friday,October 5, 2018.
“Let it be known and made abundantly clear that I did not participate in the primary election contrary to what is being peddled by certain co – aspirants on different social media platforms.
“Sequel to the election, I was involved in several meetings initiated by our leaders on the need to present a common aspirant against the incumbent for effective change against sit tightism in political office.
“When such talks broke down amongst the concerned aspirants, we conceded the power to choose one aspirant to the leaders and I assured that I would be bound by such choice.
“Therefore, when the announcement of Bolowotan was made on the morning of the election day, although it was a difficult one to swallow, but it was a matter of honour in my view to respect the choice hence, the withdrawal of my participation in the exercise, the decision which I accordingly transmitted to my supporters across the constituency and my absence in the exercise was ubiquitously noticed.
“It was curious, however, to find in whatsapp postings, some purported election results allegedly contained in some results sheet that I participated in the election and certain funny score alloted to me.
“I wish to repudiate in all ramifications for the records, that the inclusion of my name as well as the score attached to me in the so called results sheet is totally false, fraudulent, malicious and a calculated attempt to diminish my electoral relevance and value and I urge the public to disregard the calumnous publication.
“As a party man, I can only wish the eventual winner of the exercise well and if it is my good friend, Hon Agunbiade, so be it.
“I take this opportunity to thank my teeming rugged, loyal, unshaken and unshakable supporters and admirers for their unflinching supports over the years”.
