Kunle Adelabu
As Nigerians will, again, be going back to the polls on Saturday, March 18, to elect who will govern various states of the federation, and also elect members of the 10th State Assemblies, the focus will, no doubt, be on the economic nerve centre of the country, Lagos State.
The focus, which have over the time been strong because of the importance of the state to the social, economic and political developments of the country at large, became stronger aftermath the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 25, when surprisingly, the Labour Party (LP) won the state which has been a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since the emergence of this democratic dispensation in 1999. The party, which started as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) later changed to Action Congress (AC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before its present status, has always been winning elections in Lagos State.
After the intense campaign, LP Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won the overall results while the APC candidate, now the President – elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, won more Councils. Tinubu won in 11 Councils, and Obi only won in 9.
LP also won three out of the 24 House of Representatives seats in Lagos, with APC winning 20 and Peoples Democratic (PDP) managing to secure only one seat. However, it was all APC affairs in Senatorial election as the party won all the available three seats.
Since the outcome of the February elections, the political dynamism in Lagos has changed with LP dethroning the PDP as the main opposition party and at the same time, boosted the chances of its gubernatorial candidate, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes Vivours who was relatively unknown before the Presidential election. Gbadebo has since then overshadowed the PDP governorship candidate, Mr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor) who was in the forefront of challenging the incumbent, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo – Olu.
Although, there are 16 governorship candidates, the election is now between the incumbent Sanwo – Olu who is the APC candidate, LP’s Gbadebo and PDP’s Adediran. Even though, one cannot entirely rule out the chances of the PDP’s candidate, considering the party’s structure in the state.
Among the three, Adediran’s chances seems to have been dwindling as the election day approaches as many believe that PDP is now taking the back seat, while the chances of the APC and LP’s candidates are on the increase.
In his self – confidence, the PDP candidate has assured his supporters that he is certain of winning the gubernatorial election.
While Gbadebo is riding on the popularity of its party’s Presidential candidate who lost to Tinubu, and the mass youth movement, especially those on the social media, he will definitely benefit from these sentiments, but how much of that he would benefit will be known after the election. As a full participant in the #EndSARS protest, he’s getting the usual social media presence from the social media warriors.
He is also going to benefit from the support of the Igbo section of the state that overwhelmingly voted for Obi the last time out, but it is not certain if many of those that voted for Obi are still in Lagos, and if they are, it is also not certain if they are going to vote this time around for Gbadebo whose father is from Lagos, though, his mother is an Igbo woman.
Gbadebo’s endorsement by Pa Ayo Adebanjo, a leader of the Afenifere who also endorsed Obi, is also a major plus for the LP’s chances in the Gubernatorial election in Lagos State.
Since the last election, Gbadebo and his party have been more visible and encouraged to make their presence felt.
On his own, Sanwo – Olu and his party, APC, have since woken up from their slumber after the shocking defeat in the Presidential election in February, and have started taking necessary steps to prevent a repeat of February 25th result. They have been able to show and project more of the governor’s accomplishments in the last four years, in the last two weeks more than they had before. This has also made many to change their minds positively towards the governor.
The campaign for continuity and the need to protect the Lagos Blueprint started by Asiwaju Tinubu which successive Lagos administrators have been following, has equally whipped up sentiments among Lagosians who are now seeing Lagos as their heritage which must not be allowed to be taken away by the ‘foreigners’. The boast by some Igbos that Lagos is no man’s land have also added to this sentiment.
Due to this, Lagosians may turnout in large numbers to vote come Saturday to protect what they term as their heritages from ‘invaders’.
The multiple endorsements by various Igbo groups and leaders, likewise by the number one leader of the pan Yoruba socio – cultural group, Pa Fasoranti, will also go a long way in getting the much needed votes to return Governor Sanwo-Olu to office for another term.
Another major pre – election victory that the incumbent has scored was the number of political parties that have declared support for him. This, in addition with the decampment of some PDP bigwigs, chiefly among who is Dr Ade Dosunmu, a former Gubernatorial candidate in the state.
The emergence of Asiwaju Tinubu as the President – elect, is another major factor that may work in favour of Sanwo –Olu, as many Lagosians are seeing this as an opportunity for the state to benefit more from the centre.
The visitation of the governor to the General Overseers of the Redeemed Church of God and Winners’ Chapel, Pastors Enoch Adeboye and Pastor David Oyedepo respectively, both of whom are believed to have the largest Christian congregations in the country, is another factor that may am swayed votesin favour of the incumbent Governor. Aside from Sanwo – Olu visitation to the headquarters of these Churches, there were other visits to local chapters of these Churches by important political figures on behalf of the governor.
While the die has been cast, below are the age, parties, sex and educational qualifications of all Governorship candidates that will be doing battle in the Gubernatorial election tomorrow.
A Governorship Candidate
DICKSON HAKEEM OLAOGUN
65, Male FSLC, SSC M.B.A
Deputy-Governorship
MATE CAROLINE EMIMIE
44, Female FSLC, WAEC, HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
AA Governorship Candidate
BALOGUN TOPE ABDULRAZAQ
40, MALE F.L.S.C, WAEC, B.SC, MED.
Deputy-Governorship
SALAKO OLUWATOSIN MAUTIN
35, Female, F.L.S.C SSCE B.SC in ACCOUNTING
AAC Governorship Candidate
OLAYIWOLA AKEEM OLAIDE
43, Male, FSLC WAEC DEGREE
Deputy-Governorship
EZE BENNETH SEGUN
37, Male, FSLC WAEC DEGREE
ADC Governorship Candidate
DOHERTY OLUFUNSO ADESHINA
54, Male, FSLC GCE HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Deputy-Governorship
GIWA-AMU ROSEMARY
56, Female, FIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE WEST AFRICAN SCHOOL CERTIFICATE BACHELOR DEGREE
ADP Governorship Candidate
BAMIDELE ISHOLA
62, Male, FLSC SCHOOL WASC B.SC.
Deputy-Governorship
ADEWUSI OMOBOLA TAWAKALIT
57, Female, FLSC WAEC.
APC Governorship Candidate
SANWO-OLU BABAJIDE OLUSOLA
57, Male, FIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE GCE O’LEVEL, B.Sc, MBA
Deputy-Governorship
HAMZAT KADRI OBAFEMI
57, Male, PRIMARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE, WASC, B.SC, M.SC AND Ph.D.
APM Governorship Candidate
KUPOLIYI FUNMILAYO A.
51, Female, FIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE SECONDARY SCHOOL, HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Deputy- Governorship
ADEPOJO O. TIMOTHY
39, Male FIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE WAEC BSC.
APP Governorship Candidate
ADEYEMI ABIOLA ROSELINE
44, Female, BSC.
Deputy-Governorship
ADEYEMI OPEYEMI
35, Male, WAEC.
BP Governorship Candidate
OLUWO OLAWALE WASIU
56, Male, Primary Leaving Certificate, WASC, Bsc Economics
Deputy-Governorship
BALOGUN ROTIMI
55, Male, Primary Leaving Certificate, WASC Bsc Economics
LP Governorship Candidate
RHODES-VIVOUR GBADEBO PATRICK
39, Male, FSLC SSCE Degree
Deputy-Governorship
OYEFUSI ABIODUN ADETOLA
53, Female, FSLC WASC/GCE Degree
NNPP Governorship Candidate
JIM-KAMAL OLANREWAJU OLALEKAN
64, Male, WAEC BSC.
Deputy-Governorship
ABIOLA FAOSA OKOYA
55, Female, AUNTY AYO PRIMARY SCHOOL, MICKLEFIELDCOLL; ENGLAND, PADWORTH COLLEGE, ENGLAND
NRM Governorship Candidate
BRAITHWAITE AKINWUNMI ISHOLA
64, Male, FSLC, WAEC, B.A.
Deputy-Governorship
DABIRI-ADEWUMI AZEEZAT OLUWATOYIN
52, Female, FSLC WAEC` BSc, PGD, Med.
PDP Governorship Candidate
ADEDIRAN AZEEZ OLAJIDE
44, Male, FSLC, WASSC, MBA.
Deputy-Governorship
AKINDELE AYOTUNDE OLUFUNKE
44, Female, FSLC WASSC.
SDP Governorship Candidate
UTHMAN OLAKUNLE TAOFEEK
60, Male, WAEC BSC.
Deputy-Governorship
ANIMASHAUN MORENIKE ABENI
66, Female.
YPP Governorship Candidate
AJAYI WASIU ADEBAYO
55, Male. WASSC, B.Sc.
Deputy-Governorship
SHODOKE TEMITAYO
36, Male, SSCE.
ZLP Governorship Candidate
ADENIPEBI MODE ADEKUNLE
43, Male, FIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE, WAEC.
Deputy- Governorship
KASSIM MOSES ADEKOYEJO
54, Male, SSCE.
