By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The factional Mandate Group of Kosofe Local Government (LG) convened its inaugural LGA meeting for 2024 on Thursday, February 15th, at Ojota area Kosofe. The gathering, which drew in hundreds of members, quickly became a focal point for brewing tensions within the political landscape of Kosofe.
Formerly under the auspices of Hon Rotimi Agunsoye, the Mandate Group had long enjoyed the patronage of the erstwhile Member of the House of Representatives representing Kosofe Federal constituency. However, recent developments saw the emergence of another Mandate faction purportedly led by APC chieftain Cardinal James Odumbaku, igniting a clash of loyalties and power dynamics.
At the LGA meeting, chaired by Mr. Bakare Adams, the Vice Chairman of the group, adamant declarations were made reaffirming loyalty to the incumbent leadership, led by Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo. Dismissing the rival faction as “fake,” tensions simmered as allegiances were tested and alliances strained.
Meanwhile, the political landscape of Kosofe faced further upheaval with the rejection of purported appointments, notably that of Hon. Kafilat Ogbara as State Secretary for the Mandate Movement. The discord extended beyond factional disputes, with prominent political figures like Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora voicing discontent over exclusion from strategic stakeholder meetings convened by APC Chieftain Otunba Bushira Alebiosu.
The ramifications of these rifts reverberated across Kosofe, renewing calls for genuine reconciliation and unity among political heavyweights. Against the backdrop of pressing national issues such as fuel subsidy, currency devaluation, rising insecurity, and systemic corruption, the imperative for cohesive leadership and collective action at the local, state, and federal levels became ever more urgent.