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  • You have right to query me, Adeola tells constituents

    Senate Committee on Local Content Chairman Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) has stated that his constituents are free to question and correct him in any areas of shortcoming in the performance of his legislative and representative duties.

    He spoke while addressing members of his campaign team, comprising 20 Local Government Areas/ Local Government Council Development Areas (LCDAs) coordinators,33 social media volunteers, 185 ward coordinators and posters posting gang at a “Thank You Party” in his Senatorial District Office in Ikeja.

    Lagos West is adjudged the largest senatorial district in Nigeria in terms of population.

    Adeola urged his constituents to bring germane issues relating to bills of interest, motions and petitions to his notice with the assurance that they would be expeditiously attended to.

    He added that henceforth his senatorial office would be more operational with assigned days for constituents to have face-to-face interactions with him.

    “I want to urge all my constituents to visit my social media handles for information on my performance and issues that affects my representation in the Senate. I will have special days for attending to my constituents and this will be on a first come first serve basis.

    “As a senator representing over 14 million constituents, the queue may be long but it will be strictly to address constituent concerns and suggestions,” the senator stated.

    The senator thanked members of the campaign team for their work during the campaign and also hailed the electorate for voting the APC.

  • Salvador urges APC’s unity ahead of 2019

    The Deputy Chairman, Lagos West, Presidential Support Committee (PSC) for Buhari/Osinbajo, Hon. Moshood Salvador has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unite ahead of 2019.

    Addressing party members at a strategic meeting in Lagos, he said all hands must be on the deck to ensure victory for the party in the coming election.

    He urged party members who are aggrieved due to the unforeseen developments in the party to forgive one another for the sake of the party.

    Salvador called on members to maintain the spirit of camaraderie, noting that everybody was important in the party.

    He said it was no longer fashionable for some people to behave like lords, stressing that all APC members were important.

    He urged the party to work hard in areas it lost to the opposition in the 2015 election, stressing that the PSC would not leave any stone untouched in the 2019 election.

    He said: “There is need for unity in our great party. Through that, we can achieve success in the coming election. We must not underrate anybody; we should accord everybody the respect they deserve.

    “I must draw your attention to the 2015 election, where the APC lost some seats to the PDP in Ajeromi, Amuwo and Ojo areas of the state. My research also exposes to me that we must take note of Ifako/Ijaiye area of Lagos ahead of 2019 election.”

    Salvador said the challenge before him was not just to ensure victory for the party but preach peace in order to strengthen the party.

    “The challenge before me is to make sure Sanwo-Olu wins Lagos State governorship election with landslide victory. We must also ensure that President Buhari is returned to office. Following our discussion, I can assure you that the party APC will win the election.

    “My analysis of the situation shows to me that the APC has not got to the margin it is expected to be. We have underutilized our strength because we can achieve far better than what we presently have in the state.

    “Our capacity is more than what is presently obtained. I want to put all my efforts, experience and all that I know to make sure the party performs to the maximum level in at the coming election. It is part of our assignment to make sure that we leave no stone untouched ahead of 2019.”

  • Lagos West: The battle for APC senatorial ticket

    Battle for the ticket of Lagos West Senatorial District has pitched two powerful All Progressives Congress chieftains, Senator Adeola Solomon and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, amongst other aspirants, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    AHEAD of the 2019 General Election, the struggle for the senatorial ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos West District of Lagos State is becoming more fierce with chieftains of the party divided over the ambition of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. The former Defence Minister, who recently returned to the APC, is seeking to displace the current Senator representing the district, Adeola Solomon.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed political parties to conclude all primary elections by October in readiness for the 2019 General Elections. Apart from Adeola and Obanikoro, a couple of other chieftains of the party have shown interest in the senatorial ticket. But observers of the politics of the area say it is a straight fight between the two Senators.

    Checks by The Nation revealed that Obanikoro’s decision to move over to Lagos West from his former base in the Central Senatorial District of the state, in pursuit of another stint at the National Assembly, may be creating tension among chieftains and members of the party in the area even as the political camps of the two gladiators intensify efforts to ensure that the ticket is eventually given to their principals.

    It would be recalled that before dumping the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) for the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Obanikoro, who earlier served as a commissioner in the cabinet of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented Lagos Central Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. He was also at a time the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, also in Lagos Central.

    On his part, Senator Adeola had served two terms in the Lagos State House of Assembly before moving to the Federal House of Representatives in 2011. He got elected to the Senate in 2015 and is now seeking a second term in the upper chamber. However, before recently announcing his decision to return to the senate, the lawmaker who had never left his party was touted to be interested in the governorship ticket of the APC in Ogun State.

    But in a chat with our correspondent, he explained that what he did in Ogun State was merely to consult whether to throw his hat into the ring of the gubernatorial contest or not. “And at the various levels of the consultations, we take a break to review the outcomes. Though we were well received by the people of the state, I have taken a decision to return to the senate in 2019 as the representative of my people in Lagos West,” Adeola said.

    For Obanikoro, who insists he is originally from Lagos West and should be free to represent the people in the National Assembly, “government needs to invest more where our population is concentrated and there is no better place to jumpstart that kind of thinking, than Lagos West.” He added that Lagos, being a cosmopolitan state, and Lagos West being where the population is, the area deserves better representation.

    Clashes

    Of serious concern to political observers and party chieftains is the growing threat of likely clash between the supporters of the various gladiators as the race towards 2019 inches closer. Already, supporters of the aspirants had almost engaged themselves in physical combat last May during an endorsement programme, held for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode by the APC in Lagos West.

    While supporters of the former Minister had stormed the event with placards and other promotional materials to propagate his senatorial ambition, numerous party members had countered them with placards and banners with inscriptions like ‘Back to Sender’, ‘No to Cross Over’, ‘No vacancy in Lagos West’, ‘Eniyan Yayi Niwa’, among many other anti-Obanikoro inscriptions.

    Both Adeola and Obanikoro were at the rally. And so were other chieftains being reported to be interested in the race. The programme was delayed for a while as supporters of the two politicians battled for space and attention in their bid to promote the positions of their various political groups and principals. And as the situation became tense, state party leaders and other dignitaries at the event were said to have expressed serious concerns.

    One of the vice chairmen of the party in the state, who was at the event back then, recalled how the organisers tried to no avail to control the crowd as they struggled to ‘express their disapproval of one of the aspirants, who according to them, is not one of them.’ He said but for the intervention of prominent party leaders, the protesters would have taken over the entire programme.

    “Trouble started when Yayi entered the venue with his supporters and the crowd went into a frenzy to welcome him. It was as if no other aspirant had arrived before him. The supporters of Obanikoro, who were already at the venue, became angry and started singing and drumming to drown the voices of Adeola’s people. Before long, there were altercation which later degenerated into pushing and shoving.

    “It took the timely intervention of the police to save the day. I can also remember that the leader of the party in the district, Prince Rabiu Oluwa, commented on the protest of the people when he said the party is not unaware of the meanings of all their actions and that the leadership of the party saw what they had done and had taken note. There was no hiding the fact that something was amiss that day,” he said.

    Our source also added that it is not true that any of the aspirants challenging Senator Adeola has the backing of any party leader within or outside the state. “It is not true that any of our leaders are supporting anybody to challenge the incumbent. The party will provide a level playing field to ensure a free, fair and credible primary election that will produce the eventual candidate in the district,” he said.

    Mounting concerns

    Aside Adeola and Obanikoro, some other chieftains of the party are also said to be warming up to join the battle for the APC ticket in the senatorial district. Those reported to be weighing the options of contesting the ticket or not include Chief Demola Seriki, who is also former Defence Minister and Comrade Kayode Opeifa, former Commissioner for Transport under Babatunde Fashola.

    Also being touted to be interested in the race is Princess Adejoke Oorelope Adefulire, who was Fashola’s Deputy Governor. The growing number of interested chieftains of the party, as well as the mounting opposition to what some party leaders described as the ‘attempt to force outsiders from another senatorial district on us as a senator’, is heating up the political atmosphere by the day.

    While Obanikoro continues to flaunt the legitimacy of his ambition, more and more chieftains of the party in the district are vowing to oppose his desire to clinch the ticket of the ruling party. During the week, a group within the party, Alimosho APC Volunteers, held a protest rally aimed at sensitising the people of the district on the ‘need to stop the imposition of Senator Obanikoro on Lagos West.’

    Speaking at the Alimosho secretariat of the party, the Chairperson of the group, Alhaja Saidat Bakenne, who is also one of the market leaders in Egbeda area of the state, said the people of Alimosho will not agree to the ambition of Obanikoro who she said is an indigene of Lagos Island. She said it is against the spirit of fairness for him to be longing for something that is not rightfully his.

    “We have resolved that Obanikoro will not just come here and take what is ours. He is not one of us. We all know where he has been playing his politics. We are wise and we cannot be deceived. He should please go back to the central and represent them. We have more than enough capable hands here if we need a new senator. For now, there is no vacancy for anybody,” she said.

    The party chieftain begged party leaders to avoid any action that can cause confusion in the district. According to her, Lagos West is known for playing peaceful politics and that tradition of politics without violence should be encouraged. “But when you allow an outsider to barge into people’s area and threaten to take away their right because he has money or he has connection, you are encouraging crises,” she warned.

    Other speakers at the rally expressed fears that beyond the 2019 senatorial election, Obanikoro may be eying the governorship of the state come 2023 when the position is likely to be zoned to Lagos West. They urged the people of the area to join the campaign against the coming of the former commissioner from Lagos central to Lagos West Senatorial District before it is too late.

    “Whether the plan is for 2019 or 2023, we are poised to stop the unacceptable crossover from his known political base to our peaceful area. We are therefore urging our leaders to resist any attempt to force him on us. You will notice we are mostly women here. We also have children who will want to be senators and governors in future. We want to keep the space open for our own children too,” Bakenne added.

    But a supporter of the former Minister in the area, Comrade Taiwo Bajulaiye, a former council chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers in the state, said those opposing Obanikoro must be told that it is within his right to contest anywhere in the state. “We know why they are protesting and we have told them it is within his right to seek the ticket of the party anywhere in the state,” he said.

    Endorsements

    And while the contest for the ticket continues, some of the aspirants have been bagging the endorsement of party officials and leaders across the district. For Senator Adeola, it has been a galore of endorsements. Recently, some prominent leaders of APC in Lagos West Senatorial District, as well as state and national officers of the party from the zone, announced him as their preferred candidate.

    Before then, all 185 Ward Chairmen of APC, all leaders of the 28 local government councils, all 28 party Chairmen of APC had separately endorsed Senator Adeola for second term, while urging other aspirants to step down for him. The party officials at the well-attended programme, said it is important for the district to allow Adeola to complete the good work he is doing at the National Assembly.

    At another event, tagged “The journey so far as Lagos West Senator,” organised to give a scorecard by the Senator at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, a motion for Senator Adeola’s endorsement was moved by Hotoyon Joseph Bamgbose, a chieftain of the party from Badagry, and supported by Bolaji Ariyo, the Chairman  of 28 Secretaries to Local Governments (SLG) in the state.

    Many party leaders, including Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson, South West Woman Leader of APC, spoke in favour of the motion. Nelson said that Senator Adeola has done well for women in Lagos State as he was instrumental to her many achievements as the party’s Women Leader for 15 years in the state. She described him as a reliable party chieftain and lawmaker.

    Other leaders present at the event are Chief Henry Ajomale, former State Chairman of APC in Lagos, Senator Ganiyu Solomon(GOS), Chief Sunny Ajose, Deputy Chairman , APC Lagos State, Chief Funsho Ologunde, Lagos West APC Senatorial Chairman, Dr. Wale Ahmed, APC State Secretary, Dr. Abayomi Finnih and Cardinal James Odumbakun, former Deputy Chairman  APC Lagos State.

  • Senator Adeola disowns protesters at Tinubu’s residence

    Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) has disowned protesters at the Lagos residence of All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The protesters who also took their case to the residence of a former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, demanded that the two party leaders should “release”  Senator Adeola aka Yayi, to contest the 2019 Ogun State APC governorship ticket.

    Read Also:Pray for peace, progress, Senator Adeola urges Nigerians

    But Adeola said Tuesday in a statement by his media adviser Kayode Odunaro that he never authorised nor was consulted by the protesters.

    He said: “I concluded my consultations in Ogun State over a month ago with a commitment to continue to serve my constituents and the political party in Lagos West.

    “The protest to the residence of our National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, is embarrassing and presumptuous. It was organised in bad faith. I was not consulted before the protest as the protesters stated themselves.

    “It was not with my support or endorsement. And as the late MKO Abiola stated in such a situation, you cannot “shave someone’s head in his absence.”

    Senator Adeola said his effort for re-election as senator representing Lagos West has received wide acceptance by leaders and supporters of the APC at various levels, adding that more than ever before, his commitment to continue to serve the good people of Lagos West without any distraction has been rekindled.

    The Senator appealed to all his admirers to respect his wish to continue to serve the good people of Lagos West Senatorial District.

  • Five APC chiefs eye Lagos West Senate seat

    Five senatorial aspirants are struggling for the senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos West District, it was learnt yesterday.

    The contenders are incumbent Senator Solomon Adeola, former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Minister of State for Agriculture Mr. Demola Seriki and former Commissioner for Transport Kayode Opeifa.

    Party sources hinted that former Deputy Governor Adejoke  Orelope-Adefulire and Adeola’s predecessor, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, are eyeing the ticket.

    Opeifa, who is Secretary of Transportation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, said he is competent to represent the district.

    He said: “I have the experience, the pedigree and all what it takes to be a senator on the platform of our great party, the APC. But, before I declare my intention, I must discuss with our leader. The outcome of the consultation will determine my next step. I must inform the leader.”

    Indications that Adeola may withdraw from Ogun governorship race, which he has been pursuing, emerged during the Lagos West APC endorsement when his supporters and those of Obanikoro nearly clashed.

    Following the ceremony held at Blue Roof, Lagos Television Ground, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Adeola’s supporters converged on his constituency office in Ikeja for another endorsement ceremony, where some party members urged him to seek re-election.

    But, a section of the party objected to the endorsement, saying the senator had returned to his native Ogun State for good.

    A former local government chairman from Alimoso, who craved anonymity, said Obanikoro’s ambition might threaten Adeola’s senatorial re-election bid.

    However, the senator’s his media aide, Kayode Odunaro, said the issue of withdrawal from the governorship race had not been considered, adding that his principal was intensifying his consultations in Ogun State.

    He said Adeola returned to the district that sent him to the Senate to participate in the endorsement of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term, adding that there would have been no justification for his absence from the ceremony.

    Odunaro, who spoke on the telephone, said: “There is no basis for saying that Senator Adeola is withdrawing from the Ogun State governorship race. He is continuing with his mobilisation and consultation with the people. He has not done a formal declaration for governor. But, it is also normal that people who value what he has done in Lagos West should request him to seek re-election. He has not declared for a second term either.

    “Go and look at what I posted at the weekend. Many people want him to run for governor in Ogun. His supporters also want him to re-contest for the Senate in Lagos West. It is normal.”

  • Lagos West endorses Ambode for second term

    Lagos West endorses Ambode for second term

    Amid funfair, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was yesterday endorsed for a second term by members and leaders of the ruling party from the Lagos West Senatorial District.

    The APC family, led by the  senatorial leader and member of “G22,” Chief Rabiu Oluwa, said the governor deserved the endorsement, stressing that he has lived up to expectation.

    Prominent APC stalwarts from the zone, including the state chairman, Otunba Oladele Ajomale, his deputy, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, the vice chairman (Lagos West), Chief Funso Ologunde, the state Woman Leader, Mrs. Kemi Nelson, former Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan and Pa Muraira Taiwo, described Ambode as a dynamic, workaholic and performing governor who has given hope to Lagosians.

    Oluwa asked the party faithful: “Do all of us agree that Ambode should go for a second term?” The party members chorused: ‘Yes.”

    Following the endorsement, Oluwa asked Ajomale to convey the message of goodwill and solidarity for a second term to the governor, adding that the district had resolved to mobilise for his victory in next year’s poll.

    As from 9 am, party faithful converged on the Blue Roof, Lagos Television Ground, Agidingbi, Ikeja, singing and dancing. Broom, the symbol of the party filled the air. Apart from party members from 28 local governments that make up the populous district, representatives of the Arewa, Ndigbo, Nupe, Northcentral, and Southsouth communities in Lagos also endorsed the governor, saying that he has given non-indigenes a sense of belonging.

    The ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Governor Oluranti Adebule, Senator Solomon Adeola , Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Prof. Tunde Samuel,Environment Commissioner  Samuel Adejare, Information and Strategy Commissioner Kehinde Bamigbetan, his Home Affairs counterpart, Abdulakeem Abdulateef, Dr. Abayomi Finnih, member of House of Assembly Hon. Bisi Yusuf, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, Benjamin Olabinjo, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, Alhaji Ganiyu Badmus and Rev. Kareem Daramola.

    Other chieftains include former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Hon. Bola Olujobi, who gave the opening prayer, Hon. Paul Kalejaye,  the Chairman of Mushin Council, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye, his Ifako/Ijaye counterpart, Toba Oke, Hon. Bolaji Ariyo, Chief Chris Ekwilo, Alhaji Hakeem Enilolobo, Hon. Seyi Jakande, and Ademola Sodiq, a lawyer.

    Oluwa, who welcomed the chieftains, said Lagosians were fortunate to have Ambode at the helm of affairs, adding that they have not voted for him in vain.

    He said: “Everybody in Lagos is endorsing Ambode. Even, Femi Otedola, who is not a politician, has endorsed him. Today, we have come from 28 local governments making up the Lagos West to endorse him. We don’t want disunity in our party. Although the constitution says anybody is free to contest, we believe that Ambode is competent and good for a second term.

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  • Senate probes FIRS, NPA, others over alleged misuse of funds

    Senate probes FIRS, NPA, others over alleged misuse of funds

    The Senate Tuesday resolved to investigate alleged misuse, under remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection and accounting of internally generated revenue by revenue generating agencies.

    The investigation, the Senate agreed, will cover all revenue generating agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Customs Service and others from 2012 to 2016.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion which prayed the upper chamber to “constitute a high powered ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged misuse, under remittance/non remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure of internally generated revenue by all revenue generating agencies of government from 2012 to 2016.”

    A six-member panel of investigators to be headed by Senator Solomon Adeola, (Lagos West) was mandated to submit its report to Senate in plenary in six weeks.

    Senator Adeola who sponsored the motion in his lead debate noted that Section 80,subsection 1-4 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly stipulated that all revenue, moneys raised or received shall be paid into and form on consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

    He further noted that the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 was enacted to ensure transparency, accountability and prevent corrupt practices in relation to public revenues and expenditure.

    The Lagos West lawmaker said that he is aware that Section 21 -23 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 clearly limited  corporations, agencies and government owned companies listed in the Schedule to the Act to the expenditure of only a fifth of its operating surplus with the balance paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government.

    He expressed concern that the Acting Chairman of Fiscal Responsibility Commission Mr. Victor Muruako on November 8, 2016 “raised the alarm over leakages in revenue and remittances which he said has assumed alarming proportion in the last 5 years with some Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) producing two different statement of accounts in an attempt to manipulate their operating surpluses and losses.”

    Adeola said that he is also aware that at “the last National Economic Council meeting, the Federal Government specifically accused  revenue generating agencies of raising over N1.5 trillion and expending over 90 per cent on recurrent expenditure mostly in paying bloated salaries and controversial allowances above Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Committee, monetization of medical allowances, unapproved overseas travels, lavish training allowances and excessive personal loan approval all amounting to financial misconducts.

    He expressed worry that “these corporations, agencies and government owned companies have over the years grossly violated the letters of the 1999 Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act in relation to their revenue generation activities and expenditure.”

    Adeola said that he is disturbed that various audit queries against the agencies over the years further indicated possible mismanagement of public funds against the spirit of the Constitution and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

    He noted that it is a matter of concern that in view of Federal Government dwindling revenue from the traditional crude oil sector and the on- going recession, “these government bodies are continuing in short changing government of needed revenue through various illegal practices.”

    He thereafter prayed the Senate to resolve to constitute a high powered ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged misuse, under remittance/non remittance and other fraudulent practices in the collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure of internally generated revenue by all revenue generating agencies of government from 2012 to 2016 and submit a report in six weeks.

    Adeola added that there was no doubt that all revenue generating agencies including the NPA, FIRS, Customs, have been misappropriating generated revenue.

    The agencies, he said, have largely ignored the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act that compelled them to remit all generated fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in his contribution noted that most Nigerians were concerned about how to share the cake without bothering about how to bake the cake.

    He said that it is time  for the Senate to take a second look at the law regulating activities of the revenue generating agencies to determine whether there was need to review the laws in order to bloc leakages.

    Ekweremadu said, “Every day we talk about how to share the cake but today we have the privilege and opportunity to discuss how to bake the cake and I think there is enough cake to go round except that we have a lot of leakages and some of these leakages were created by us.

    “I think that we must admit that when those laws were made they were made with the best of intentions but just as they say the road to hell is also made with the best of intentions. I believe that since they have been abused it is for all of us to look back and have a second look at those laws and ensure that they are appropriately amended or put appropriate measures to ensure that these leakages are fixed.”

    Senator Ahmed Lawan, in his contribution stressed the need for the Senate to do more and if possible to reduce the number of the agencies “because we don’t actually need all of them.”

    Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah said that issues raised in the motion should be given the seriousness they deserve in the interest of the country.

    Before the prayer to set up a committee to probe the alleged misuse of funds by agencies was unanimously adopted, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki underscored the importance of independent revenue to the economic health of the country.

    Saraki noted that if the Senate was able to block leakages in the agencies, it would help the funding and performance of the 2017 budget.

    Saraki said, “I want to join others in thanking Senator Solomon Adeola for this very important motion. As I keep on harming on our independent revenue and non-oil revenue is a very important area of our budget. This independent revenue is 37 percent; you remember last year it was almost N1.5 trillion and am being told now that this year is likely to come down to N500 billion because they could not meet the target.

    “Inability to meet the target is not that they don’t have the capacity to meet the target and there is too much abuse on this operating surpluses where people spend right up to the last naira in all. I think the best way forward as you said it would even help the 2017 budget if we address this issue in blocking this leakages and I believe that in constituting the ad-hoc committee we would just take the best hands and still bring people from finance and public accounts and capable people who would be able to address this.”

  • APC challenges Adewale’s locus standi to file action against its candidate for Lagos West

    APC challenges Adewale’s locus standi to file action against its candidate for Lagos West

    The All Progressives Congress(APC) has told the National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Lagos West, Segun Adewale, has no locus standi to institute the action he filed challenging the result of the March 28 election that declared its candidate, Olamilekan Adeola  (Yayi), winner.

    At the resumed hearing yesterday, APC’s counsel Muiz Banire told the Justice Sylvanus Oriji-led tribunal that the party’s application dated April 20 to which was attached a written address was essentially to challenge the locus standi of the petitioner.

    Banire argued that the petitioner did not specify the law under which he brought the petition and also failed to state the scores of the candidates, adding that he only stated the score of the respondent (Yayi).

    “By provision of the Electoral Act, the petitioner is expected to specify the scores of all the candidates in the election. He only specified his own score and that of APC candidate.”

    Banire emphasized that Adewale’s failure to do that eroded the validity of the process, adding that where such happen, the petition becomes incompetent and urged the court to discountenance it.

    In his response, Adewale, through his counsel, Dr. Yemi Oke, submitted that he has complied with the provisions of the law by filing necessary applications.

    He claimed that the respondents have replied to the petition and that they have also filed counter affidavit dated May 6 deposed to by the petitioner himself with attachment of a 19-paragraph affidavit with written address.

    Oke alleged that the State Independent Election Commission(LAISEC) failed to give him copies of the election result.

    “The agents were there, they were not given the score sheet after the election. All these are in our petition. Non-compliance with the provision of the first schedule cannot be put aside. The document is filed before the court.”

    He prayed the court to dismiss the respondent’s application, describing it as an attempt to evade justice.

    The tribunal dismissed an application filed by the APC’s counsel stating that PDP served the court notices on the office of the party in Lagos instead of the office at Abuja.

    But the tribunal held in its ruling that there was nothing wrong with the service of the respondents in Lagos.

    “Any office of the respondent (APC) is an extension of the head office in Abuja and the purpose of serving the petition in Lagos office is to give respondents notice of the case in the court.

    “We need to underscore the point where we find nothing wrong with the service of the respondent in Lagos,” Justice Oriji declared.

    The matter was adjourned till Wednesday for pre hearing.

  • Lagos-West: A winning streak for Adeola

    Lagos-West: A winning streak for Adeola

    THE race to win the 109 senatorial seats of the Senate is now in full gear in all parts of the country. Among contestants are incumbent Senate President, Senator David Mark, many sitting senators, sitting governors, House of Representatives members and a couple of former state government officials. It is a race for the “Big Boys” and “girls” of politics. Usually only opposition parties and a coterie of smaller parties in various states field neophytes to contest for positions at the pinnacle of national legislature.

    One unique senatorial district in Nigeria, Lagos-West is going to decide between sending an experienced legislator and a neophyte to represent its interest at the Senate. However before one looks at the relative strength of the two candidates fielded by the ruling party, APC, in Lagos State and the minor and opposition party, PDP, it is well to dwell on the uniqueness of the senatorial district to see how the electorate may decide who represents them at the Senate. Lagos West is by far the largest in terms of population of all senatorial districts in Nigeria. Its population of over 13million in 2014, according to a Melburn Consulting projection, from National Population Census and World Bank figures is that of some two or three states of the federation. It is about 58% of the population of mega city of Lagos State. With 10 local government councils (or 28 LCDAs) hosting Nigerian foremost international airport as well as a critical industrial/ commercial hub of Nigeria, this district is special in all senses even while having only one vote in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. Its uniqueness can also be gleamed from the fact that it is a mini Nigeria with possibly all tribes of the nation having a significant presence in the district. This could be glimpsed from such urban centres in the district like Ikeja, Oshodi -Isolo, Badagry, Ajegunle, Mushin, Alimosho, Ifako- Ijaiye, Ajeromi-Ifelodun amongst others that are inhabited by Nigerians from all tribal groups in proportion unlike any other parts of the country.

    The two principal candidates contesting for this legislative position are from APC and PDP.  Hon. Solomon Adeola, a fellow of ICAN, presently representing Alimosho Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives is of the APC. He is the chairman House Committee on Public Accounts, which is the only constitutional committee of the House. Before this position that he has held since 2011, Hon. Adeola was a two term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly where he was the chairman of the House Committee on Finance for eight years.  His private sector experience spanned 12 years at the Guardian Newspapers and subsequently running his private auditing firm.

     Contesting this position with Hon. Adeola is the PDP candidate, Mr. Segun Adewale, a businessman in travel agency sector of the economy.  From available records all his working life appears to have been spent in the private sector with emphasis on travels and tours business. His attempt to veer into the public sector through politicking has met with serial failure. His first loss of electoral contest was in 2007 when he lost his ambition to be a state legislator representing Alimosho State Constituency 1. In 2011 his vaunting political ambition brought him to contest against Hon. Adeola for the seat of Alimosho Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives where he lost the election and the legal case he instituted to challenge Adeola’s victory.

    This political career flop of Adewale is contrasted from that of Hon Adeola’s consecutive election and re- election leading to his present position in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly. He could only have had such winning streak through effective representation and delivering of democracy dividend. In Alimosho where he presently represents, Adeola fondly called Yayi, is noted for community development in the form of provision of social amenities like transformers, boreholes, classroom blocks, educational empowerment, free health care and other humanitarian cum philanthropic service. As a state legislator, it is on record that he was instrumental to the bill that reformed the Internal Revenue Service of Lagos State that saw its revenue catapulting from about N6billion monthly to between N15billion to N20billion per month. As the chairman of Finance Committee of Lagos State House of Assembly, he was part of the moving force behind the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Public Procurement Act, both of which forms the basis for World Bank consideration of Lagos State to loan facilities for infrastructural development.

    Another factor that may count in favour of Adeola clinching the exalted senatorial seat includes his consistency as a politician. Since he joined partisan politics, Adeola has remained a progressive under the changing political party structure in Nigeria. From SDP to AD, AC, ACN and now APC, Adeola has not oscillated between political parties as is common with a lot of Nigerian politicians blinded by personal ambition. With Lagos State in general and Lagos West in particular consistently returning the progressives to power since 1999, the senatorial district does not appear to have any reason to change the progressive colouration of its voting patterns. Indeed, with a tested and experienced legislator like Adeola contesting on the progressive platform, it is expected that the tradition of the state and district voting the progressives is not about to change in 2015.

    The standing of the political parties presently and how they are perceived is also likely to attract votes for Adeola. With an ageing and crisis ridden PDP facing a very real challenge from the new kid on the block, APC and many Nigerians clamouring for change, PDP candidates however credible they may be will contend with the albatross of PDP representing all the things that are wrong with Nigeria while APC candidates will likely reap from a clamour for change that is pervasive in the air.

    And since his landslide victory at the APC primaries, Adeola has hit the ground running with interaction and campaign for his parties to all relevant stakeholders and potential voters. He has received endorsement from Northerners in his district as well as the over 80,000-member Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria, CAPDAN who donated a bus for his campaign. During Adeola’s town hall meeting with stakeholders at Badagry, the white cap chiefs, Baales and other stakeholders speaking through Chief Patrick Yedemu  Mobee, the Mobee of Badagry Kingdom, endorsed Adeola for Senate based on his track record and consultation with them.

    At present, in addition to the state’s APC organized rallies, Adeola is engaged in town hall meetings of trade and professional groups and Community Development Associations to present his record and legislative agenda in solicitation.

    As things stand, one cannot but see the political winning streak of Adeola that started in 2003 continuing in 2015 at the zenith of his legislative career of about 12 years now.

    Odunaro, Public Affairs Analyst, wrote from, Ikeja.