JOKE ORELOPE: CONSENSUS IS THE AGE-LONG TRADITION OF THE PROGRESSIVES
ENILOLOBO: ON DIRECT PRIMARIES WE SHALL STAND AND NO PARTY RULES ARE VIOLATED BY OUR POSITION
Story by Razaq Adedeji Jimoh
It is not unlikely that the Alimosho Chapter of the All Progressives Congress would be forced to Direct Primary elections dictated as the first line option by 2026 Electoral Act. This prospect follows the dissenting voice of Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo to adoption of consensus, which his coordinate opposing apex leadership factions of Joke Orelope and Bisi Yusuf have unanimously agreed to uphold.
GET YOUR COPY FOR THE EXCITING CONTENTS OF THE HISTORY MAKING ON GOVERNANCE PER EXCELLENCE AND THE INTRIGUES BEHINDE CONSENSUS CANDIDATES IN VOGUE
Speaking at the stakeholders' event held this past Monday at the Multipurpose Hall of the Alimosho LG, Akowonjo, Her Excellency, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who presided over the meeting said consensus had been the tradition and stabilizer of the party for decades. But in taking its position for direct primaries, the Enilolobo camp dispelled any rumour or opinion that their leader could be held liable for "going against" the party's interest. they said APC is a responsible party that will uphold all letters of the Nigerian statutory books, be it the Constitution or Electoral Act.
It is already clear from the outcome of the last APC congresses in Lagos State that the new position of "unified Alimosho" has conclusively rested the Federal Constituency's progressives on a tripod factional leadership structures. They are the ASM of Her Excellency, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (OFR); the TMM of Hon (Prince) Bisi Yusuf and the Enilobo's new TMMG. Joke Orelope is the global offshore and onshore visage of Alimosho APC leadership with strong membership of the Lagos prestigious political elite club called the Governance Advisory Council (GAC). Prince Bisi Yusuf currently holds as the Apex Leader of the party. Enilobo, who lost his erstwhile sole leadership to the Rauf Aregbesola's unfortunate indiscretions in the count down to 2023 General Elections, had only recently got a 'Presidential Pardon' hat informed his reintegration back to the APC mainstream.
Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act says: "The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for various elective positions hall be by direct primaries". And in providing the alternative of "Consensus", a stringent condition for adopting it is imposed by the Act. It requires that all aspirants who have validly expressed their interests for the position must indicate their intention to withdraw from the race in writing severally.
Just a few days past, precisely Saturday, May 2nd, Alhaji Enilolobo called a meeting rally of his camp to present those aspirants his followers would be expected to vote in the coming party primaries for the 2027 General Elections. They included Hon Adebisi Adebajo (Abisco), immediate past Executive Chairman of Mosan/Okunola LCDA who also served for two terms, vying for the House of Representatives; Hon Shakiru Yusuf, a former two times Executive Chairman of Ayobo/Ipaja LCDA vying for the State House of Assembly, Alimosho Constituency 01; and Mr. Nojim Gbadebo Adegoke vying for Alimosho Constituency 02.
Presenting them, Enilolobo said the caucus' position on the endorsed candidates was based on merit of their personalities and experience in public service. He added that many of his followers indicated their aspirations for the offices, but the internal screening panel of his camp returned the endorsed three without his interference or any pecuniary interest.
He said: "No one induced the leadership with bribe here. The tradition of the caucus in selecting the best was adopted, and we are ready to throw the full weight of our camp behind our chosen aspirants in the coming primaries".
However, in what many political observers and party faithful have argued, rightly or wrongly, to be the direction of the party, the leaderships of Joke Orelope and Bisi Yusuf camps yesterday (Monday) convened a joint Stakeholders' meeting to declare their intentions to go with consensus. "This is the direction of the party", they said severally. At the gathering, they unveiled their consensus candidates to include the return of current member of the House of Representatives, Hon Ganiyu Ayuba for a second term. Hon Lukmon Orelope and Hon Kehinde Joseph, both, also currently serving, are to be returned for their second term and third terms respectively.
GATHERING OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AT THE ENDORSEMENT VENUE IN ALIMOSHO SECRETARIAT
The big weights present at this gathering included the Executive Chairmen of the six LG and LCDA administrative divisions of Alimosho Federal Constituency; their corresponding six Party Chairmen and led by the LGA Party Chairman for Federal Constituency, Pastor Abiodun Ibrahim (Morroco); and the 36 councillors across the landmass.
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Justifying the gatherings position, Adefulire said the danger in primary elections across all political parties is the inevitable party fractures that always trail it, which, if not managed effectively, could spell doom for the party on the polling day. "That is why consensus has always being the tradition of our party for decades", she said.
She added further that the endorsement of those aspirants for the party's choice was not to foreclose other aspirants wishing to contend the public offices with them, but to tell a hint about the direction of the party.
She said: "We are gathered here to uphold the traditions of our party. These include our age-long adoption of consensus for primary elections and our culture of giving opportunity of the right of refusal to first termed to return for a second term. No one with good knowledge of our party's history can deny these two facts. We have always adopted consensus to avoid the danger of party fractures, which could spell doom for us when we get to the general elections.
"It is a common fact known to the public that the Lagos progressives have always gone into elections with a unified fronts to pick the victory seamlessly. Consensus is our top secret for it because every aspirant would have been carried along to make them understand why the party had taking its position. Doing this, we also have a reward system that leaves no one out of the benefits of the consequential victory.
"To this extent, consensus is our unifying bond. It has been the stabilizer of our party. While we have gathered here to uphold this tradition, we do not foreclose the right of other aspirants not in agreement with this to prepare for direct primaries, we shall meet them on the field to defend this tradition".
Speaking through his goodwill message to the lucky consensus candidates, the Executive Chairman of Aimosho Local Government, Hon Akinpelu Ibrahim Johnson, described it as a demonstration of the unity Alimosho has attained, going into the 2027 elections. "This collective decision reflects our unity, foresight and a strategic step that position our party strongly ahead of the 2027 General Elections", he said.
In his own message of same purpose, the Executive Chairman of Ayobo/Ipaja LCDA, Hon (Dr.) Agbaje Abiodun Lukmon, said it was a gathering that saw Alimosho speaking with one voice.
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