Exclusive: Tinubu Zones Lagos Governorship Ticket To Lagos East

Posted by African Examiner Exclusive Reports, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, December 9th, 2013

…AS Kuforiji, Pitan, Hamzat, Ashafa Eye Party’s Ticket

Ayo Balogun, Lagos

Indications have emerged that the All Progressive Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has zoned the 2015 Governorship ticket in Lagos to Lagos East Senatorial District.

African Examiner’s investigation revealed that since Lagos East, which comprises Ikorodu, Epe, Kosofe and others has never produced a governor for Lagos State, the leadership of the APC decided to zone the governorship ticket to Lagos East.

The APC’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, sources said, has zoned the ticket solely to Lagos East, while the deputy governorship’s seat can be occupied by any of the other two senatorial districts.

As a result of the zoning, serious politicking is ongoing in Lagos East, with several politicians canvassing to become governor of Lagos State under the APC in 2015 to replace Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Already, Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who is from Epe, is among those gunning for the position, even though, his chances are slim since he is entangled in fraudulent controversies which has successfully nailed him.

Canvassing for the position also is the current Lagos Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, who is claiming to have come from Epe, but his father, Olatunji Hamzat is a traditional ruler in Ogun State and married to an Epe woman. Hamzat is capitalizing on the fact that his mother is from Epe to claim indigenship of Epe.

During the last Sallah celebration, the banner of Hamzat was vividly displayed at the Epe roundabout canvassing for support from Epe indigenes to make him governor in 2015. Not only that, T-shirts bearing Hamzat’s picture is being worn by his supporters around Epe area preparing the ground for his emergence as the candidate of the APC for the 2015 governorship polls.

Moreover, Fashola is said to be in love with the candidacy of Hamzat, but his choice does not matter in picking a governorship candidate for the APC as he does not have nor control the political structure in the state.

Another Epe indigene eyeing the governorship ticket is the former Accountant General of Lagos State, Akin Ambode. Ambode is seriously canvassing to become governor of Lagos State in 2015 and he is said to be much closed to Tinubu.

Joining the growing list of those aspiring for the governorship ticket for 2015 under Lagos East is Dr. Leke Pitan, former Commissioner for Education and Health under the Tinubu administration.

Pitan is said to hail from Ikorodu and is desperate to become governor. He is also close to Tinubu, under whose administration he served with distinction for eight year and moreover, he is loyal to Tinubu. Pitan is said to be making the necessary move to get the APC to field him as the governorship candidate for the party in 2015.

Also Senator Gbenga Ashafa, also from Lagos East, is leaving nothing to chance at ensuring that he emerged as the APC governorship candidate in 2015. Ashafa has set up his office at Kosofe Local Government where he has been watering the ground through engaging in humanitarian projects to get the people’s attention.

Another politician vying for the governorship post is Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Surulere constituency. Gbajabiamila, discovering that the governorship ticket has been zoned to Lagos East, has moved his tent to Ikorodu and is now claiming to have come from Lagos East, capitalizing on the fact that his mother hails from Ikorodu.

With the zoning of the governorship ticket to Lagos East, the governorship ambition of Hon. Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS), Dr. Muiz Banire, Mr. Tunji Bello, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and a host of others have been punctured.

Solomon, early this year came out openly to declare his ambition for the governorship seat of Lagos State. It is now feared that Solomon, who is a grassroot politician may jeopardize the zoning arrangement as he is bent on becoming governor in 2015.

Aside Tinubu, GOS is said to be the most influential grassroots politician in Lagos and will defeat any of the contestants if a free and fair primary is conducted.