Here we go again! With less than three months to the general elections, our party at the state and local government levels in Lagos state is still terribly enmeshed in the quagmire of political rascality, parochialism, illegality and unconstitutionality. There seems to be no way out of this maze of political miasma the party has found itself. When you think you have seen it all they amaze you with another monstrous macabre act of theirs. And the more we gravitate towards the general elections, the more they rear their scary ugly heads, filled with putrid retrogressive ideas, before us.
In recent times, we have been inundated, glutted and satiated with the gale of unbridled atrocious capricious change of names of the validly elected ward and LGA executives with no recourse to the constitution of the party. And the situation or the practice whereby the party at the state level would continue to use illegal party executives based on 57 LGA arrangements at the expense of validly elected ward executives ratified and certified by the national body of the party leave much to be desired. This act of illegality if not completely checked may spell doom for the party before our very eyes.
This brings the issue of the purported illegal suspension of the Chairperson of APC ward A Oworonshoki, Alhaja Sherifat Davies, to mind. The issue raises other critical questions in its wake that begs for answers. How can people who are not even elected members or aexecutives of the party suspend a legally elected ward chairman without recourse to the constitution of the party? The constitution of the party clearly states the process for the suspension, removal or expulsion of party members, did the party follow this constitutional process? Was Alhaja Davies invited by the Disciplinary or Investigative committee to explain her side of the story? What are the allegations, can suspicion be greater than the offence?
While I strongly believe the purported suspension is a prank, a hoax or a joke by a political clique who wanted to take advantage of the prevailing anarchy and lawlessness in the party, the attempt itself is an ominous indication that the party is being badly shepherded.
Even if a MEMBER has to be suspended from the party in kosofe chapter for anti party activities, violations of party constitution and Dereliction of duty, I think that person has to be Alhaji Kehinde Bello- the LGA chiarman of the party who has not only abandoned his duties and responsibilities but has also failed to summon LGA meetings, failed to summon LGA Excos meetings, failed to to put an end to all crisis rocking the various Wards and was involved in swearing in a parallel Executives at various wards. All these are enough grounds to show him a way out of the party; or was He only elected as LGA chiarman just to go to the Local Government, take pictures or pose with local government functionaries at any occasion?
I wonder why the council chiarman is still paying Him salary of over #200,000 on a monthly basis for doing absolutely nothing. Wonderful! kosofe will not allow this to continue.
If the two GAC leaders in the person of Otunba Busira Alebiosu and Omoba Olumuyiwa Sosanya think they can foist their retrogressive ideas or decisions on the majority of our party members we will surely resist them vehemently. No Leader, be it GAC, appointed or elected officers or groups has the power to suspend a legally elected Executive member of the party. And this why it sometimes baffled me to see our elected member of House of Assembly and the council chairman still sitting together with the GAC leaders in kosofe to perpetrate their illegality against majority of party members. Even if your keeping quiet against tyranny was because of your own Re-election bid or certain interest why should such members also cover you up when their services are needed.
Recalled that at the last stakeholders meeting held at the party secretariat ACME, our Presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu clearly stated that the aggrieved members of the party should be brought back to the fold. He warned of the danger and the futility of suspension. But here we are again. My people when are we going to smell the roses?
Let me even go biblical. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not force his ideas on others neither did he compel people to follow him but He appealed to people to join His crusade. So why do the GAC leaders think they can successfully manipulate and force us to assimilate their thoughts and ideas hook line and sinker without ratiocination?
If their agenda is to have the party structure in their kitties either for future elections, they have to wait till 2025 when another party congress will be conducted and have their surrogates at the helms of affairs.
Let me remind our people again, about a meeting held in Acme sometimes around April 2022 and all the Two GAC members in kosofe with other local leaders were in attendance where it was stated in the presence of all attendees that the Abuja list should not be tampered with or changed.
Similarly, albeit recently at the House of our revered leader Otunba Busura Alebiosu, with Baba sosanya, council chiarman and all the state Excos of the party led by Mrs Oladunjoye, it was reaffirmed that all Abuja lists must be made priority in the composition of 57 LGA , and I do remember that Hon fatai Gbadebo Ekerin ojota was also in attendance. But here we are with the opposite.
And this must be condemned and fought by all genuine Democrats …..we must continue to expose, put them on the spotlight for the whole world to see their illegality.
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My candid advice to all the ward Party chiarmen who were elected in September last year Apc ward congress, namely:
1) Alhaja sherifat ,
2) Mr opeodu
3) Mr soretire
4) Mr ojulari
having been swore in and took Oath of office should henceforth continue to function in that capacity as held or Chairman of their various wards without fear or intimidation. And any leader or member of the party, no matter how highly placed, if found wanting or parades him or herself as chairman in the process of discharging your duty or obstructs the smooth running of the affairs of the party, be put forward for suspension.
all needed to be done is to copy…i.e…national body of our party,state chapter,area commander of police ,the DPOs and the STATE DSS.
Just ensure that you follow the Due process of the law, there must be sanity in the system.
Let me also admonished you of a phrase in Nigeria constitution and I Quote: “sovereignty belongs to the people from whose power derived the Government, political power belongs to the majority not one single man.
Conclusively, Let me congratulate the BATCO MANDATE for the successful rally held on December 1st, 2022. It is gratifying to note that they have realized the political strength they possess. The solidarity walk is a veritable show of strength and force. It vividly proved the point that we are the majority and that minority cannot rule over the majority. Therefore with our strength, we must guard against the nefarious act of installing ward chairmen and excos through the back door. In our strength lies our power. Let’s make adequate use of it. Let’s wake up and smell the roses!
Since kosofe leaders as successfully polarized the party members into two groups by their deed and actions.Then it behoves us to defend are members and protect our political interests. Let the living fight for Justice!
Enough is enough….illegality should not and will not be tolerated anymore.
I write in the capacity as THE LGA APC KOSOFE SECRETARY GENERAL.
Signed:
Otunba Bowale Benson Adepoju