Kunle Adelabu
-Controversies hinder nomination of a Council Chairman
The apex leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu division, may have settled for the two former Commissioners in the first term administration of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to again represent the division, in the governor’s second term administration.
THE IMPACT gathered that the leaders met over the Commissionership lists, last Friday and Saturday, at the home of the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, to discuss and take a decision on the request by the governor that they should submit three nominees for the cabinet positions.
We gathered that Governor Olushola Sanwo – Olu, had expressed his preference to, again, work with the two former Commissioners in his second term.
Aside from the Governor’s preference for the two, we also gathered that the leaders are impressed and satisfied with the performances of the two appointees and unanimously agreed to return them.
At the said meeting were Prince Abiodun Ogunley, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, as well as other political leaders and local government chairmen in Ikorodu Division.
It was further gathered that they stayed till around 9.00pm on Friday, to conclude and agree on the three names, but while they all agreed on the nomination of Ms. Abisola Ruth Olusanya, the former Commissioner for Agriculture and Dr Frederick Oladeinde, erstwhile Commissioner for Transportation, the leaders were unable to agree on the nomination of a serving Council Chairman from Ikorodu Constituency II, who was nominated by a GAC Chieftain from the constituency.
The nomination of the third nominee was said to have generated serious disagreement which, according to report, forced the meeting to be postponed to the following day (Saturday, June 10), as another GAC chieftain from the same constituency vehemently objected to the nomination of the said Council Chairman as the third nominee.
At the rescheduled Saturday’s meeting, the controversy reportedly continued and the leadership of the party were forced to jettison the nomination of the affected Council boss who, we gathered, was not popular among the leaders.
While some sources said that a replacement has been picked, other sources said that the meeting was inconclusive, but it was gathered that Mr Nurudeen Agbaje (NERO) was nominated as the third cabinet nominee from Ikorodu. He was said to have been nominated by the former Deputy Governor, Ogunleye.
It was also gathered that the party leadership has signed the list consisting the names of the three nominees and forwarded same to the Governor.
It would be recalled that was Agbaje prevailed upon and eventually stepped down for Hon. Gbolahan Ogunleye, for the Ikorodu Constituency I Assembly seat, in the primary election. He also worked for the victory of Gbolahan in the general elections. Stakeholders saw his nomination as a payback for his loyalty to the political leader.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in Ikorodu, at the moment, are demanding for, at least, five cabinet positions, based on the contributions of the division to the electoral victory of APC in the last general elections.
People are also clamouring for allocations of Senior Special Assistant (SSA) and Special Assistant (SA) positions for young politicians that aspired for offices in the last election, but were unable to get the party’s tickets, and others that have contributed immensely to the development of the party.
The Governor, however, is expected to submit the list of his proposed Commissioners to the Assembly, any moment from now.
