Tinubu Wades into Lagos APC Crisis, Insists on Party Supremacy

Asks council chairmen to honour party’s decision
Gboyega Akinsanmi
The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has finally intervened in intractable crisis that has engulfed 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in Lagos State, THISDAY has learnt.

It was gathered that the crisis, which has been raging shortly after the state local government elections, arose from the decision of the party’s state executive council to address lopsidedness that characterised the constitution of LGA/LCDA executive councils in the state.

Different APC chieftains revealed at the weekend how the clash of interests compelled the APC national leader to organise meetings with the party leaders in the state on the need to respect the decision of the party and accommodate all political interests in order to foster unity.

THISDAY had reported that Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola’s aspiration to contest senatorial election in Lagos West senatorial district in 2019 had sprung the council chairmen to reject the decision of Lagos APC on the constitution of LGA/LCDA executive council.
THISDAY had equally reported that Aregbesola’s unwarranted interference in Lagos politics was the reason some council chairmen decided to dump the party’s plan to reconcile all interests and ensure peaceful co-existence in its ranks ahead of the 2019 general election.

To clinch the party nomination, it was gathered that Aregbesola needed to control the party structure at least in Ikotun-Igando LCDA, Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Agbado-Oke-Odo LCDA, Alimosho LGA, Ejigbo LCDA, Oshodi LGA and Oshodi-Isolo LCDA among others.

But at the meetings, a party chieftain revealed that the APC national leader had directed all chairmen of 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in the state “to honour every decision that the party has taken on the constitution of LGA/LCDA executive councils. The party decision is supreme.”

He explained that the APC national leader specifically directed six LGAs/LCDAs in Alimosho and four LGAs/LCDAs in Kosofe and Somolu to honour the list of executive councils that the party’s state executive council approved in line with a vision to accommodate all interests in the appointment of political officials without bias and prejudice.
He said the APC national leader directed the Alimosho Council of Elders under the leadership of Aregbesola and a four-time member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Oshinowo “to accept the decision of the party in the interest of peace and unity.”

Another party chieftain explained the position of the APC national leader, which according to him, stemmed from the intra-party crisis that plagued Lagos APC before the local government election was held on July 22.
Due to the crisis that arose from the nomination of chairmanship candidates in the July 22, 2017 local government election, the party chieftain revealed that Tinubu invited all political actors “to a meeting and promised that all interests would be accommodated after the election.

“That is why the party’s state executive council directed all chairmen of 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs to submit the list of nominees into the executive councils. Surprisingly, the chairmen did not follow the party instruction. Rather, they excluded those who lost out at the primaries from the political appointment. But the party met with all interests and compiled a consensus list.

“The council chairmen rejected the consensus list and went ahead with their own list. Our leader was not happy with this development. That was why he convened a meeting attended by key leaders and directed them to honour the decision of the party in order to foster peace and unity.”
Sadly enough, the party chairman noted that the council chairmen, especially Alimosho, Egbe-Idimu, Ikosi-Isheri, Ayobo-Ipaja, Kosofe and Somolu among others “have not complied with the directive of the APC national leader and the decision of the party’s state executive council in entirety.”

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