Kunle Adelabu
-They are sponsored by Chairman– sources
-I don’t know anything about it, but in support of the youths – Chairman
The youth wing of the All Progressives Party (APC) in Ikorodu Local Government has warned party leaders against the imposition of their children and family members as Supervisory Councilors in the yet to be constituted council cabinet.
They are calling for the consideration of ordinary party members that have been working for the party as a way of giving them a sense of belonging.
The protest by the youths, THE IMPACT gathered, has further polarized APC as some of the leaders alleged that the protesting youths are being sponsored by the Council Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina.
In a letter sent to identified party leaders, the youths of the party warned that there would be a massive protest if their demands are not met.
In the letter, they alleged that it has been the norm of the political leaders to pick their children and family members for appointed positions.
“It has been the norm of the leaders to impose their sons, daughters and even their family members when it comes to the appointment of political appointment (Supervisory councillors).
Also in the letter, the youths demanded that none of the Supervisory Councilors in the outgone administration should be reconsidered for appointment, among other demands.
“The Ikorodu Local Government APC Youths Wing, hereby, demand these three key requests:
“None of the outgone Supervisory Councillors should be returned.
“We will not accept any appointment for any party leaders’ family, sons and daughters.
“The grassroots party members who sacrificed in many fronts for the party should also be allowed to enjoy the dividends of democracy by getting Supervisory Councillorship appointments”, the letter said.
Mr Oshin Taiwo, a leader of the APC youths protesting against the imposition by the party leaders, in a phone discussion with THE IMPACT on Saturday, July 31, 2021, confirmed the demands of the aggrieved youths.
“Yes, we are demanding that the party leaders should stop imposing their children and family members on us and as Supervisory Councillors”, he said.
“We want the youths and party faithful that have been working for the party with great commitment and whom they always call upon to mobilize and do other work for the party to be considered. We too should enjoy the dividends of democracy for our labour.
“We hope that our demands will be accorded favourable consideration but if not, we shall embark on massive protests”, he warned.
“We have distributed copies of the letters to concerned leaders. Some of them accepted it while others rejected it but those that really matter accepted our letters”, he added.
Also speaking with another leader of the protesting group, Mr Tosin Mabunmi, he denied that anybody is sponsoring them in demanding that the leadership of the party should not present their children and family members for the Supervisory Councillorship positions.
“Nobody is sponsoring us to protest against the leadership of the party, rather, the youths want to achieve a situation whereby youths will be given voices. We want a situation whereby ordinary party youths, apart from those that are leaders’ children, will also be entitled to the dividends of democracy”, he said.
“We want them to reckon with us (youths) that are doing the work for the party. We are not saying that the appointment should favour us that are leading the protest, but what we are saying is that they should consider the hardworking youths of the party for appointive positions in the council.
“We want youth inclusiveness for youths that are working for the party.
He confirmed to our reporter that there were angry reactions by some leaders of the party during the meeting of the APC Apex leaders at the former Deputy Governor’s house on Thursday, 29, 2021, over the youths’ letter.
“That is true and those that actually protested against our letter are those that have their sons and daughters in the immediate past administration and wanted them to return without anything to show for their occupation of different positions in the last four years”, he said.
“There are many youths that picked the nomination forms in the last party’s primary and many others like that that have invested their time and resources in the party but are yet to be compensated with anything and yet, some still want their children to be re – appointed.
“We are not fighting these leaders but we want them to reason with us and accept our position”, he added.
Some of the leaders that were served with the youths' letter are Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, former Deputy Governor and the Apex leader in Ikorodu Division, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Rep. Babajimi Benson, Member, House of Representatives, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader, Lagos Assembly, Ahaji Junaid Owokodu, former Chairman, Ikorodu LG, Alhaji Enifeni Badru, Secretary, APC Apex Leadership, Alhaji Musliu Animashaun (De Cubano), APC Chieftain, Alhaji Gafaar, former Vice Chairman, APC, Lagos East, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, the Council Chairman among others.
Meanwhile, sources within the party that spoke with THE IMPACT confirmed the development.
They alleged that the protest is the work of the Council Chairman, Hon. Adeshina, whom they alleged of working towards appointing his own people alone into the cabinet so as to have his way in all things.
THE IMPACT gathered that many leaders were at the former Deputy Governor’s residence where the Divisional Apex leaders’ meeting was held last Thursday.
It was gathered that a female member of the party whose daughter served in the immediate past administration as a member of the cabinet vehemently opposed the demand by the protesting youths, during the Apex leaders’ meeting.
We also gathered that a particular APC chieftain, who also has a candidate in the outgone administration and who is again pushing for a slot in the new cabinet, also opposed the youths’ agitation at the meeting.
“We are all aware of where the protest is coming from. It is from no other person than Adeshina (Hon. Wasiu Adeshina), the Council Chairman. He’s the one instigating and sponsoring some of the youths against the party leaders”, the source alleged.
“This is a party affair and we are going to handle it politically. There is no way that an individual would determine the composition of the council’s cabinet. It is a decision for the party to make, especially the apex leadership”, the source added.
Another source who also spoke with our reporter, said:
“There is absolutely nothing in the demand of the youths but it is worrisome when they are being sponsored against the leadership of the party”, another source said.
“When making your demands, it is not proper to threaten other peoples right to be appointed and I can assure that this is our party and we are going to determine the composition of the Council’s cabinet in such a way that would be fair to everyone”.
In a phone conversation with the Council Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, on last Saturday evening, he said that he is not aware of such protests by the party youths.
He, however, added that he would support the position of the youths if they bring their protest to his knowledge because they have worked for the party and deserve to be recognized.
“I am not aware of the protest at all, but if I am, I will support the position of the youths”, Hon. Adeshina said.
“To me, you have to work for a position. These are the youths that are working for the progress of our party.
“Sincerely, I am not aware of their protest, but they are deserving of their demands if it is true”, he said to our reporter.
When contacted, Alhaji Taiwo Longe, the APC Chairman in Ikorodu Local Government said that he is not aware about the protest by the youths.
