APC primaries: Lagos-East puts structure in place for reconciliation

The All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders in Lagos East Senatorial District at the weekend commenced a reconciliation process to heal the wounds created by the last party primaries among members of the party in the district.

The meeting which was held at the CMD in Shangisha had in attendance the five members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, of the party from the district and other party leaders, all the members of the Lagos state House of Assembly from the district, all the chairmen of local government, party faithfuls and other party loyalist.

They include: Senator, Anthony Adefuye, Alhaji Akanni Seriki, Chief Lanre Razaq, Omooba Sosanya, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, senatorial candidate and member Lagos Assembly, Hon. Bayo Osinowo, Hon. Olusegun Olulade and others,  Hon. Wole Diya (House of Representatives member representing Somolu federal constituency), and Hon. Jimi Benson (House of Representatives member representing Ikorodu federal constituency), the serving senator, Gbenga Ashafa who was said to be away in Port Hacourt sent a representative.

Speaking on the reconciliation, Razaq said unlike the other two districts, central and west which has since moved on after the heat generated by the primaries the east has not been able to resolve its issues which was the purpose of the stakeholders meeting although the leaders have been meeting.

Reading from a report of a meeting held by the leaders in the district on 31st May, Razaq said it was agreed that the district should be divided into three zones made up of Epe, Ikorodu and Kosofe zones.

According to him, “We decided to have a senatorial leader and deputy senatorial leader as well as a district committee. Members would be the Chairman then a zonal leader from Ikorodu and another one from Epe, and Kosofe would be members.”

Senator Anthony Adeduye was appointed the new Senatorial Leader, while Alhaji Akanni Seriki (Baba Bamu) was appointed as the Deputy Senatorial Leader.

For Ikorodu, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye is the Vice Chairman, while Omooba Sosanya would be Vice Chairman for Kosofe Zone, while Chief Lanre Rasak is the Vice Chairman for Epe Division.

“Each vice chairman would chair the meeting in their areas. Also, nobody should break the chain of command in their area,” he said

He said that the new committee of the district would comprise members of the GAC, serving senator from the district, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, senatorial candidate for 2019, Hon. Sikiru Oshinowo, and the Vice Chairman of the party in the East, Chief Asipa Kaoli.

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Also speaking, the Deputy Senatorial Leader of Lagos East, Alhaji Sikiru Akanni Seriki (Baba Bamu) thanked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for all his efforts.

While also thanking the party’s Senatorial Candidate for Lagos East,  Hon. Sikiru Oshinowo, Alhaji Seriki advised that the party should reward those who are working for the party before talking of those who did not work for the party.

“We should all go back home, and work amongst our people at the ward levels. Those, who left for Labour Party then regretted it. We pray not to have a repeat of our bad experiences. We should all work for the unity of the party in our local levels,” he said.

Also speaking the senatorial leader, Adefuye denied the accusations in some quarters that the leaders of the party in the district did not make case for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second term.

 

He said all efforts the leaders made to meet with the governor when it was discovered there were issues on ground before the issue went out of hand was to no avail “even the governor did not pick our calls”.

He also stated how he spoke with the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo during Sallah on the issue.

The Senatorial Leader advised the people of the district not to put anybody that is not a member of the party in sensitive positions, pointing out that politics is about what one can get for his people as a good a leader, adding that one might even be disgraced when he is fighting for his people.

While thanking his fellow contestants and other party members for his victory Osinowo promised to donate his salary for four years as a senator if elected to the district, saying “if you know how the constituents, our supporters and followers struggled and suffered inside sun and rain to make sure I win this election, you will know that they are worthy to be given more,’’ Osinowo said.