Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA Chairmanship: Aspirants Speak On Botched Justice Forum’s Shadow Election

Kunle Adelabu

-Aspirants allege JF leader favours a candidate

Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), Chairmanship aspirant for Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, GAC chieftain and Hon. Gbenga Oshin, another Chairmanship aspirant

Days after the botched shadow primary election arranged by the leadership of the Justice Forum (JF) in Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to select the flag bearer of the group for the next Chairmanship position, aspirants for the position have aired their views on the development.

Contrary to the reportage and rumors that the issue that truncated the primary election was solely the non – inclusion of the name of a serving Council Manager at Amuwo – Odofin LG, Mr Kunle Bakare, son of a former Vice Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Pa Olatunji Bakare in the aspirants’ list, it has now been revealed that the lack of information to aspirants and members on the primary election prior to the day which it was meant to hold played a major role in the disagreement.

The Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA branch of the JF, a group led by the former Secretary to the State Government and chieftain of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, we gathered is entitled to present the candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next Local Government elections. This is because the incumbent Council Chairman, Builder Sesan Daini is a member of The Mandate Movement (then, The Mandate Group) which produced him as the council boss and he has served the maximum two – terms of eight years.

It is thus expected that the rivalry will be intense since whoever that emerges as the JF’s candidate is almost certain to win the council election coming up later this year.

Aspiring on the platform of the JF are Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun, a staff with the LIRS and former aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr David Alagbe, a former APC candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Gbenga Oshin, a former member, Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. (Dr.) Matthew Kola Arowolo, a serving Councilor representing Owode Ibeshe area of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Hon. Nureni Okemaja, the incumbent Vice Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.

Other aspirants – Hon. Nureini, Okemaja, Vice Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Mathew Arowolo, Council Ward C4 and Hon. Gbenga Alagbe, former Assembly candidate

On the aspiration of Mr Kunle Bakare, THE IMPACT gathered that Asiwaju Basorun insisted at the meeting that he was never a member of JF and has never attended the group’s meeting when the issue came up. The argument that his father was a member of the group (even though, he too according to sources has not been identifying with the JF again in the recent times) failed to hold with the party chieftain whom we gathered warned against using that has yardstick to bring the aspirant into the contest.

Some of the aspirants that also spoke with our reporter supported the party leaders on this, stating that those who have been working tirelessly and contributing to the party should be considered for benefit.

It was gathered that the major issue that caused the stalemate last weekend was the sudden announcement by the leader of the party that the exercise to determine the candidate of the group will hold that day and this caused protest by chieftains of the group and aspirants who said that they were not aware of such important decision.

It was argued that the leadership of the group decided to hold back on the information to make the process go smoothly and not create any rancour which prior information about the primary might cause going by the intense politicking it would have generated.

According to some of the chieftains and members of the JF, they argued that sudden announcement of the exercise should not be an issue for aspirants who have nursed the aspiration for over one year and that have been going to see leaders and other members of the party on their aspirations.

Whereas, the aspirants alleged that the shadow primary election was designed to favour a particular aspirant who they said is the choice of the party leader and many of the chieftains.

Mr Kunle Bakare, speaking with our reporter on the matter described Asiwaju Basorun as his father who he is sure will never exclude and deny him such an aspiration.

On the position of some of the aspirants and others that he is not a member of the group, he declined joining issue on the matter stating that the truth will be out when the time comes.

“Well, I am too matured to get entangled with any insinuation by anybody. I just want you to know that this is politics and I don’t expect them to say otherwise and with my level of exposure and upbringing, I cannot be joining issues on that.

“I want to leave everything in the hands of God Almighty and also emphasize that Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun is my father and I am sure that my father cannot exclude my name from an event or a programme that he knows that am aspiring for.

“As I have said, I don’t want to get entangled with anybody on hearsay. I want to maintain my integrity and my kind of person. I speak the truth when I have it within me.

“Whatever any aspirant said is his or her opinion and I do not want to debunk anything but when the facts are made available, the grains will be separated from the chaff,” Mr Bakare said calmly.

The Councilor representing the Ward C4 (Owode/Ibeshe) axis of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Kola Arowolo speaking with THE IMPACT said that they (the aspirants) do not have any idea that there would be a primary election.

He added that he would abide with the decision of the party leader if they decided to present any of the aspirant apart from him.

“The meeting was called without us knowing that it was designed to organize a shadow election that is meant to allow a particular candidate loved by Baba to emerge. As a Councilor that has served for eight years, I have seen it all in local government politics, and my stance is that it is not a do or die thing.

“Before now, I have gone to see Baba Basorun and informed him that I will support whatever that he wants. I am ready to support whatever that he wants without question. Because, one, I have my job aside from politics and in addition, politics is about serving others.

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If the elder statesman who built the house (the political group from the scratch) and put it in order says that you are not the one this time, there is nothing that I can do. The truth is that, the party revolves round some people recognized by the state and they are the determiners of who gets what.

‘I am from JB’s (Rep. Babajimi Benson) political group and I will not do anything that would tarnish the image of JB. I can’t insist that I must get anything by all means. If I am denied the opportunity of serving as a local government chairman today, I can be offered the opportunity elsewhere to serve tomorrow,” Hon. Arowolo explained.

He emphasized that he is not going to challenge whatever decision the party leader arrived at:

“I am a loyal party person and I won’t contest it because I know that my own turn will still come. Who said it was my turn when they picked me for the councillorship position? Other people were also denied when they gave me the position.

“If nobody killed me when I was given the opportunity to serve as a Councillor, why then should somebody die if they failed to give me the Chairmanship position?”, he said.

Speaking on the exclusion of Bakare from the race, the two – term Councillor urged the party leaders to consider only those that have been working for the party.

“To be sincere, I know Hon. (Gbenga) Oshin who is my leader in the House (JF), I Know Hon. Okemaja, who is the Vice Chairman (Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA), and also from the House. I also know Hameed Aroyewun, who is a member of the House like myself. We have been together in the House. Hon. Alagbe is also very well known to me and I know myself”, Hon. Arowolo said.

Hon Matthew Arowolo furthered, “In politics, there will always be different interests but whatever the interest, we must ensure that we consider those that are committed and working for a group and the party whenever something is coming. It must not be bringing somebody from nowhere at the 11th hour to impose him on those that have been working.

“I urge the leaders to insist on considering those that have been working for the house and the party and not just anybody from nowhere.

“My own is that I just want a credible candidate to emerge and represent our party and serve our local government”, he said.

The Chairmanship aspirant also offered the party leaders and his co – aspirants advice on the contest stating that:

“Other aspirants should try and take it easy and make sure that they don’t see the position as the end. It’s just a chair and just only one person will be sitting on it. This is me talking as Kola Arowolo

“I beseech our leader to look for somebody who is futuristic enough to carry the mantle very well. It must be a person who would have suffered for the party and not somebody from nowhere. The experience should also be there for such a person.

“He must be conversant with the party and understand the terrain.

“I believe that the leaders know better who among the five of us is capable to lead and I will abide with whatever their decision is and not challenge their authority.”

Hon. David Alagbe, a former House of Assembly candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II and chieftain of Justice Forum, also narrating what happened at the JF meeting at Asiwaju Basorun’s house last weekend, said:

“We were actually sent messages by the CWC and we thought that there were issues to be discussed, unfortunately, when we got there, Baba said that there would be shadow election to decide the flag bearer for the Justice Forum.

He read out five names of aspirants who had submitted their letters of intent in alphabetical order using the surname. He emphasised it was just alphabetical and nothing more. Aftermath, he asked for responses.

From responses, none of the leaders was aware that there would be any shadow election and also, none of the aspirants were also aware except only one person who was alleged to have been going around to solicit for a particular aspirant on behalf of Baba.

“And if there can be something like that, there will be no fair or free election again because others were not given the same opportunity to also canvass. Although, Baba denied the allegation that he asked anybody to canvass for any aspirant. That was where the commotion started.

“Another issue which also came up was the omission of the name of Kunle Bakare from the list of aspirants. Baba responded that he (Kunle Bakare) is not a member of JF and he has never attended any meeting and he did not consider him as member of JF.

“But that was just an addendum because the main issue that caused the commotion was the issue of the lack of information on the shadow election and the allegation that a particular aspirant is favoured who the leaders have started campaigning for.

“So, we ought to have heard about it and prepare ourselves for the day by lobbying the leaders and not be put at any disadvantage. The issue of Bakare is secondary.”

While stating that leaders having interest in a particular aspirant and doing everything to favour such is part of politics, Hon. Alagbe, said that the withholding of information on the primary was what people frown at:

“All that happened is not new in politics, but what we are saying is that it should have been a level – playing ground for everybody. There is nothing wrong in anybody campaigning or canvassing for anybody but others too must be allowed to reach out.

“In politics, nothing is strange or new. It’s part of the game but they should have allowed others to know that there will be a shadow primary and if that has been done, there won’t have been any”, Hon. Alagbe said.

A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Gbenga Oshin also speaking with our reporter simply identified himself as the leading aspirant for the JF.

He declined speaking on the exclusion of any aspirant and other issues.

“I am a leading aspirant for the Chairmanship position in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA., within the Justice Forum group.

“It is also normal for people to have their own choice of aspirant among the contestants, but I know that I am the leading candidate.

“I don’t want to go into details on other things that happened on that day because I just want to focus on my own campaign”, he said.

Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), who some of the aspirants claim is the favoured by the leadership of the group politely turned down our reporter’s request to speak on the botched shadow primary election.

“Thank you, Mr Impact, for reaching out to me, but I want to politely turn down your request to speak on the matter because it is a party affair. Thank you, sir,” he said.

Attempts to reach Hon. Nureni Okemaja proved abortive as his line was either switched off or engaged whenever our reporter called him.

He has also not responded to the WhatsApp messages sent to him as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the chieftain of the APC and the leader of the group, Asiwaju Bashorun also turned down our reporter’s request to speak with him on the botched primary election.

Asiwaju Bashorun responding to our reporter’s request via SMS and WhatsApp, insisted that the matter was strictly a party affair.

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