Party leaders push for consensus candidacy
Hamzat, Olusi, Ojelabi: It would enhance unity
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State is pushing for consensus option for the selection of chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the July local government polls.
Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat,Governance Advisory Council (GAC) leader Prince Tajudeen Olusi and party chairman Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi said consensus would prevent acrimony and foster unity and harmony in the fold.
However, the Chairman of the Lagos State APC Local Government Election Committee, Babatunde Ogala (SAN) said the panel would conduct free, fair and credible shadow polls in local governments and wards where aspirants decline the option of consensus method.
He said the chairmanship primaries would hold at the state party secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, adding that each aspirant would be allowed inside the venue along with each agent.
Ogala said the councillorship primaries which would be supervised by experienced and trustworthy stalwarts, would take place at the wards.
He said while the members of local government executive committees of the party will form the electoral college for the election of chairmanship candidates, ward executive committees will form the electoral college for the choice of councillorship flagbearers.
Ogala emphasised that the electoral committee will leave no stone unturned to conduct a democratic and transparent exercise.
Party faithful thronged the party secretariat for the stakeholders’ meeting, the first since Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu became president.
Anxiety was bold on the faces of many aspirants, concious of the fact that in a ward where 12 aspirants are vying for councillor,only one person will get the ticket.
At the meeting were Senator Idiat Adebule (Lagos West), Chief Akanni Seriki-Bamu, Chief Rabiu Oluwa, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Otunba Femi Pedro, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Joko Pelumi, House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, L.D. Dosunmu, Alabi Macfoy, Kolade Alabi, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Dr. Samuel Adedayo, Adekunle Olayinka, National Youth Leader Dayo Israel and Hon. Owokoniran.
Also at the meeting were Bisi Yusuf, Funso Ologunde, Abiodun Mafe, Moshood Mayegun, Seye Oladejo, Ayodele Adewale, Demola Sodiq,Muritala Seriki, and Bolaji Sanusi.
Ojelabi, who welcomed the chieftains, thanked the aspirants and party leaders for their cooperation from the nominations through screening to the appeal process.
He said:”The focus of our meeting is to appeal to all of us to know that this is the party that has been ruling Lagos and to live in peace and harmony, and realise that when we decide to work as one family, we will have a seamless primary in the state chapter.
“Let us put the interest of our party above personal interest. People from opposition parties are coming to our party, which has moved from its control of five states to being the ruling party in the country.”
Urging members to cooperate with the party leadership, he said the exercise would be successful, the President would be happy and the chapter would redeem our image in the light of what happened in the 2023 elections.
Olusi, who spoke in Yoruba, said the Southwest should be happy for producing Asiwaju Tinubu as president. He prayed that his presidency would be for the good of Nigerians.
He also expressed satisfaction with the performance of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying that he is on course.
Olusi described the local government as the most important level of governance, being the closest to the people, noting in that in many advanced countries, many presidents and prime ministers had previously served as councillors.
For the party to succeed, the elderstatesman said party members should cooperate with the party leadership.
Noting the alegayionof imposition in the social media, he said many of the portrayals are baseless.
Olusi reasoned that in a ward where 12 people are vying for councillor, those involved need to talk, dialogue and negotiate.
He said that that type of compromise is not new, adding:”I wanted to be a senator at a time. They asked me to go to the House of Representatives. Thirteen people came to appeal to me. Oluwa had to step down for me. He is here today.”
Ogala, former APC National Legal Adviser, said:”Our presidency, our party are at stake,” stressing that other states look forward to the outcone of the primary so that they can learn from it.
Giving an account of how the committee had gone so far, he saif:”We have been very thorough and carried out our assignment with integrity. The screening was done by a team of party elders. We insisted that the results should be on the social media.
“If you are not qualified, it is because you are not qualified. If you are not successful, it is because yoy are not successful. We are not under any influence.”
Ogala assured that the list of successful aspirants for the primaries will be out today.
He said the positions being competed for are few relative to the huge population of aspirants.
But he assured that after the polls, no aspirant would go home empty handed.
Ogala supported the push for consensus, saying that “if we had conceded to our leadership in the past, we should sustain the tradition.”
He recalled that he was asked to step down when he sought re-election as a state lawmaker, adding that when he waa the National Legal Adviser, the National Executive Committee was dissolved before its tenure expired.
Ogala said despite these temporary setbacks, he never wavered in his loyalty and support for the party.
Shedding light on the preparation for the primaries, he said the party has adopted the indirect option because it is favoured by the constitution along with consensus and direct method.
He disclosed that electoral colleges had been constitued at the wards and local governments.
Ogala said there would be accreditation and security would be tight.
He advised aspirants to shun unruly behaviour, warning that aspirants who invade the venues of the primaries with supporters would be disqualified.
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Ogala said:”We will be fair, just and we will do it with honour and integrity.”
Noting that over 80 per cent of aspirants are qualified, he said they should bear in mind that only 57 can be candidates.
Ogala urged top party leaders to go home, discuss and arrange consensus si that there would be less heat.
Urging aspirants to elevate collective interest over personal wush, he said “there is a party; that is why we have aspirants. “
Ogala, therefore, urged the aspirants and members to agree among themselves.
He added:”Daily briefings will be made public so that all party members can know what is going on.”
Alabi, chairman of Bariga Council and former Association of Local Governments (ALGON), called for a consistent display of love, patience and reasoning by party members.
Urging compromise and consensus, he said:”I once contested and I was asked to step down. I accepted.
It is about public service. I suggest that there should be deployment of enough security personnel yo ensure a hitch-free exercise.
Hamzat said:.”There is a lesson for us to learn today from what just happened here.”
The deputy governor mocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that the umbrella has torn.
On the push for consensus, Hamzat said:”We should not let our leaders down. Let’s do consensus. “
