July 22, LG poll Imposition: Amuwo–Odofin aggrieved 15 chairmanship aspirants take protest to streets

.Calls for justice

Barely 23 days to the conduct of the Local Government polls in Lagos State, 15 out of the 16 All Progressives Congress, APC, chairmanship aspirants in Amuwo Odofin Local Government area, yesterday, organized a protest rally across the council area over what they called “unacceptable imposition” of consensus chairmanship candidate on residents of the council for the poll.

Leading protesters were some of the aggrieved aspirants, Hon Risikat Adegeye, (Wife of King Sunny Ade), Otunba Adebanjo Ayeni and Captain Adebayo Dosunmu, among others.

The 15 APC chairmanship aspirants during the rally rejected the decision to pick comrade Valentine Braimoh who the party said emerged as the consensus candidate in the area.

It will be recalled that earlier reconciliatory efforts by APC leaders of the Lagos State Chapter to resolve the lingering crisis as a result of the controversial primaries election for the forthcoming council polls hit the rock as aggrieved parties insisted on justice to be done.

APC leadership, had earlier set up a committee to look into various agitations and claims by some aggrieved members across the troubled councils with a view to reaching amicable resolution.

The protest started from the 11 Road, party meeting point to First Avenue, 41 road, Festac Town, the party Secretariat and later terminated at council Secretariat, Third Avenue to meet with the Sole Administrator, Mr. Bamidele Oki, in company of policemen from the Area “E’ Command, who provided security as well as ensure that the rally was not hijacked by miscreants.

Ayeni who spoke to Vanguard at the end of the rally, said the demonstration became necessary in order to avoid APC losing the slots again to opposition parties in the election.

According to Ayeni, “From the all indications, we had a successful peaceful rally today. We have been able to gain the support of the electorate, leaders and the majority of the residents., the choice of Valentine as our consensus candidate in Amuwo Odofin, is unacceptable, undemocratic and injustice.

“We have all resolved that this will not stand until justice is done by the party leadership.

“If this matter is not addressed promptly, before the election on July 22, 2017, it portends grave danger for APC if they do not want to lose to opposition parties like that of the 2015 General elections.

“We are confident because the favourable response to our yearnings, as demonstrated in today’s protest will guarantee the victory of APC in our LGA, provided the right and qualified candidates, both chairmanship and councilors  who were democratically and truly elected during the primaries were given their mandate, otherwise the party will fail to secure victory in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.

“Valentine has even failed to engage us (aggrieved aspirants) in a meeting on the way to resolve the crisis but rather prefer to approach the party leaders at the state level because he is not popular in Amuwo-odofin.”

Also Dosumu contended: “We are ready to step down for one of us, among the 15 aspirants to be chosen rather than allow Valentine who has contributed nothing to the development of the party to represent us at Amuwo Odofin.

“We have written several petitions to the party leadership, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our well respected leader but we are still awaiting positive response from him.

Meanwhile, effort to reach the controversial consensus candidate, Valentine was unsuccessful at press time as it was learned he had gone to attend a crucial meeting in Ikeja.

 

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