The Apex leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu Central Local Government Area along with hundreds of party members on Friday, June 1, 2018, stormed the residence of the Party’s National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at Bourdillon road, Ikoyi, Lagos, to protest the non-use of the harmonized list in selecting the newly sworn-in LGA and Wards Excos, thus accusing Hon. SOB Agunbiade, Kaoli Olusanya and Tunde Balogun of not complying with the list.
The protesters said that consensus based congresses were held in wards and LGAs in Ikorodu where the two major political groups of APC in the division, Justice Forum and the Mandate Group were considered. According to them, the list generated was duly signed by all concerned parties and submitted to the State secretariat of the party.
Surprisingly, and unexpectedly, certain influential political office holders who were also signatories to the agreed list went behind and presented another list totally different from the one agreed upon by the concerned parties. They also alleged that those who have not been using the harmonized list later organized a swearing-in-ceremony for the beneficiaries of the one-sided list they originated.
They, therefore, described the newly-sworn-in Excos as illegal, emanating from a fake list, which could not be accepted by the majority of APC majority in Ikorodu Central.
Among their grievances in the letter earlier forwarded to Asiwaju Tinubu and the APC state Chairman, Hon. Tunde Balogun, they demanded, that the Apex leader of the APC in Ikorodu division was not part of the illegality, oppression and intimidation of Hon. S. O. B. Agunbiade, who single handedly changed the harmonization list of the Ikorodu Central to suit his fourth term (4th) agenda. The petition reads: “It was observed that the purported Excos lists of LGA and wards announced at the LGA party secretariat yesterday May 20, 2018, did not reflect harmonization as instructed by the party leader.”
Some points were also itemized thus in the petition: “The list had been heavily doctored to suit the originator’s fourth term agenda.
“Most first termers were removed from the lists while all free-spaces were filled by S.O.B Agunbiade’s Onward Group only. The imposed LGA chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Longe, has served as Vice-Chairman for more than twelve (12) years on two term basis; Action Congress (AC) 2011 – 2014 and Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) 2014 – 2018). As a result, he is not qualified to run for the third term as LGA chairman in line with the directive of our National leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
In the petition signed by the General Secretary of the APC apex body in the division, request for redressing the situation was made. The protest which started at the Fuwagbuyi court was later moved to Bourdillon led by APC chieftains in Ikorodu division including Alhaji Musliu Lawal Animashaun, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, Alhaja Funmi Bashorun; Alhaji Junaid Owokodu, Adebayo Ajisebutu, amongst others.
They had on display, various inscriptions on their placards such as: “Ikorodu APC reject fake Exco lists.” “APC Ikorodu says state chairman should respect the wishes of the people”, “We say ‘NO’ to fake Exco lists.” “Ikorodu APC says state chairman should respect the wishes of the people,” “We stand by the consensus list,” among others.
While seeking to see Tinubu, they engaged themselves in singing various political songs and rained curses on those they described as the major trouble makers regarding their plights. They were happy when the state chairman Alhaji Babatunde Balogun came to address them on behalf of Tinubu. He told them to resolve whatever grievances they had amicably while also informing them that the National leader had just returned from a trip and needed some rest.
Alhaji Balogun also urged them to remain calm after collecting the harmonized list and the one that was yet to be harmonized from them. He assured them that the issue would soon be resolved. The protesters, however, demanded to hear from Tinubu as they stated that the state chairman could no longer be trusted since he disappointed them in the past over the issue of harmonization.
It was the directive by Asiwaju Tinubu that the protesters should meet the state chairman at the state secretariat, Acme road, Ikeja on Monday, June 4, 2018 that ended the protest that began at Bourdillon at 1:00p.m and ended a few minutes to 4:00p.m.
When Oriwu Sun interviewed the leaders of the protesters, they were of the opinion that S.O.B. Agunbiade originated the harmonized list to suit his fourth term agenda, while his former boss, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya helped him in doctoring the list.
They also described the list as illegal, noting that it was signed by the ward congress committee instead of Apex leaders in the division. They held that the newly sworn-in Excos were fake and insisting that the minority cannot hijack the party from the majority headed by Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Bashorun. They vowed to resist any attempt to foist the minority on the majority.
In his reaction, the Director of Planning and Strategy for the S.O. B. Agunbiade’s political camp, Hon. Jimoh Azeez Olosugbo, described the allegations by the protesters as a bunch of lies and blackmail.
He said that the emergence of the newly sworn in local government ward executives followed due process and favoured the two political camps in Ikorodu – The Justice and The Mandate groups.
Hon. Oloshugbo, however, noted that the Prince Biodun Ogunleye’s group alleging manipulations was more favoured in the list used for the selection of the party executives, stressing that up to fifteen (15) members from the Ogunleye’s group made the list in each ward, including the chairman, vice chairman and secretary’s positions which went to them.
He said that the crux of the matter is that Prince Ogunleye’s group wanted to remove those who did not support them during the last local government elections in the State.
According to him, the Ogunleye’s camp, however, failed because of the directive of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that first timers should be returned while party decision should prevail. This, he said, conforms with the belief that agitators and winners will have their way while the losers will have their say. Also, one should not throw away the baby along with the bath water because of anger.
He also disclosed that a meeting was convened at the residence of Prince Ogunleye by the former vice chairman Lagos East Senatorial Zone, Alhaji Gafar where it was decided that there would be a total overhauling.
Hon. Jimoh said he represented Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade at that meeting and alleged that thugs wanted to attack and beat him up but God intervened and provided a way for him to escape.
According to Hon. Olusugbo, another meeting was scheduled at the secretariat of the party where the state chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun made it clear that if the issue was not peacefully resolved, the party would decide for the warring groups.
He argued that it was the party decision that prevailed at the local government and LCDA primaries where Ogunleye’s and Cubano’s group benefitted eventually and there was no rancor or protest.
Reacting to the 4th term bid of Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade in the State Assembly, Hon Olosugbo said that SOB has the constitutional right to contest as many times as he wishes because he has performed well. He argued that a local government chairman who collects N20million in monthly allocation cannot compete with or match S.O.B’s performance.
He reasoned that in the Lagos House of Assembly, there is nothing like Constituency Allowances, only salaries and impresses are paid to legislators yet, SOB has used his own take home to organize useful programmes and execute outstanding projects.
Hon. Olosugbo also argued that the important portfolio of majority leader which SOB holds has earned Ikorodu a lot of returns hence, SOB’s 4th term will bring in more benefits to Ikorodu division.
He, therefore, urged the party leadership and party faithful, in the interest of uplifting the division, to support SOB ambition.