By Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday that the party had not confirmed the state’s former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, as the party’s consensus candidate for the forthcoming Lagos East Senatorial bye-election.
The APC Publicity Secretary for Lagos State, Hon. Seye Oladejo, who spoke to THISDAY late last night debunked the reports in some sections of the media, which credited the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to him, the party has not conducted its primary election for the forthcoming bye-election and such could not have chosen any candidate. He advised well-meaning citizens of Lagos State and the Lagos East Senatorial District to be calm and wait for the outcome of the primary, which comes up on Thursday.
“The party has not picked any candidate for the forthcoming bye-elections. It is not until Thursday when the primary will be conducted that the candidates for the Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe 2 constituency will be determined.
“Lagosians should disregard any speculation or rumors making the rounds that the party has already picked Mr. Tokunbo Abiru as the party’s consensus candidate for the senatorial election,” Oladejo said.
Reports have quoted the party’s state Assistant Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Salami, to have confirmed in an interview with NAN yesterday in Lagos that Tokunbo Abiru had been picked as the party’s consensus candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial District election.
According to the reports, Abiru, who recently stepped down as CEO of Polaris Bank, was agreed upon by party elders, including the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.
The reports claimed Salami confirmed Abiru had been successfully screened at the party secretariat, adding that all the other aspirants had stepped down for him in agreement with the party.
“Mr. Abiru is the consensus candidate of the party; it is confirmed.
“The elders, under the platform of Governor’s Advisory Council met and consulted widely and they resolved on the choice of Abiru as the consensus candidate.
“The choice has been endorsed by the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; all the other aspirants have stepped down in agreement, it was a unanimous decision,” Salami was quoted to have said.
The Lagos East Senatorial District became vacant following the death of Senator Bayo Osinowo, representing the area, on June 15.
