Encomium
DESMOND Elliot, Kenny St. Best and 37 incumbent members of Lagos House of Assembly are among 208 aspirants cleared by All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos to contest for the House of Assembly primary election tentatively scheduled to hold on Monday, December 1, 2014. 297 aspirants had bought the expression of interest and nomination forms to contest for the 40 House of Assembly seats.
The 89 aspirants who failed screening are, however, given five days within which to appeal their disqualification. ENCOMIUM Weekly gathered that those aspirants who failed the screening had issues with one or two of their papers (documents) such as birth certificate, party membership card and academic qualifications, among others.
Desmond Elliot, the Nollywood actor who is aspiring to represent Surulere Constituency I in the House of Assembly, has five other aspirants among whom is the incumbent, Hon. Kabir Olajide Lawal, who has served two terms to contend with.
Kenny Saint Best, a.k.a KSB is aspiring to represent Ikeja Constituency I, the seat presently occupied by Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly.
Though the Speaker is already vying for the governorship seat, she still has an herculean task of defeating six other aspirants among whom are Hon. Babatunde Ogala, the occupant of the seat between 2007 and 2011, and Hon. Wale Odunlami, the immediate past Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Council.
Among the 37 honourable members of Lagos State House of Assembly, four of them are likely to be returned unopposed. This is because they are the only ones on the list of their constituencies.
These are Hon. Abiodun Tobun from Epe Constituency I, Hon. Olamuyiwa Jimoh from Apapa Constituency II, Hon. Ademola Alimi Kazeem from Eti Osa Constituency I and his counterpart in Constituency II, Hon. Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu.
The top ranking members of the assembly who many thought would have it easy coming back to the assembly are not having it easy at all. Among such top ranking members are:
Hon. Musibau Taiwo Kolawole, the Deputy Speaker and the longest serving member of the assembly (since 1999), who wants to come back to be the next Speaker. He has 10 other aspirants vying for the same seat (Ajeromi/Ifelodun I).
Hon. Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, who many referred to as the stabilizing factor in the assembly and who has been a member since 2003, is also not finding it easy to come back. Two other aspirants, Busayo Adebayo and Barrister K. K. Eleshin are also aspiring for the Kosofe Constituency I seat.
Hon. (Dr.) Abdulrasaq Balogun, the Chief Whip, who has also been a member since 2003 and is aiming to come back for the fourth time to vie for the speakership has nine other aspirants who are also contesting the same Surulere Constituency II seat.
Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, the longest serving female member of the Assembly (since 2003), who is also eyeing the Speakership of the assembly has two other aspirants to contend with from her Mushin Constituency I.
Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, who also has been a member of the Assembly since 2003 and planning to come back for the fourth term may not have it easy too. He has seven other aspirants vying for the same Agege Constituency I.
Members who have served two terms in the assembly too are not finding it easy. Many of them have numerous aspirants from their constituencies, who want to wrestle the seats from them.
For instance, Hon. Mufutau Adewale Egberongbe, from Apapa Constituency I who is serving his second term has three other aspirants to battle before his third term could be assured.
Hon. Ibrahim Layode of Badagry Constituency I, has eight aspirants who want to stop his third term bid. His counterpart from Constituency II, Hon. Hodewu Suru Avoseh, in his own case has seven people who are up against his third term bid.
Hon. Oludayo Saka Fafunmi from Ifako Ijaiye Constituency I, has five other aspirants who may stop him from achieving his third term bid. His counterpart from Constituency II, Hoh. Ahmed Ipoola Omisore, has three people among who is the immediate Chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Hon. Benjamin Adeyemi Olabinjo, that may cost him his third term bid.
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, from Ikorodu Constituency I has nine aspirants that are also jostling for the same ticket. Anyone of them could prevent him from realizing his third term ambition.
Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King from Lagos Island Constituency II, who is interested in coming back for third term must first defeat the nine other aspirants who are equally interested in the ticket.
Hon. Moshood Olanrewaju Oshun from Lagos Mainland Constituency II, has seven other aspirants who are jostling with him for the same ticket.
Hon. Omowunmi Olatunji, from Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II has four aspirants among whom is Oladipo Yinka Ajomole, the son of APC chairman in the state, who are jostling for the same ticket.
Hon. Rotimi Emmanuel Olowo, from Somolu Constituency I has seven other aspirants who want to wrestle the ticket from his hand and stop him from realizing his third term ambition. His counterpart from Somolu Constituency II, Hon. Rotimi Lateef Abini has four contenders that are also jostling for this same ticket. His third term bid as well as his speakership ambition are both hanging.
Hon. Ajibayo Adeyeye, the Majority Leader, who is not only eyeing third term but also the Speakership, has six other contenders for the same ticket. Among these six contenders are Hon. Tunde Braimoh the former Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Council and Otunba (Mrs.) Yetunde Arobieke, the former Chairman of Agboyi Ketu Local Council Development Authority (LCDA).
The first termers are certainly not finding it easy too. For instance, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, who is serving his first term from Agege Constituency II, has two contenders that are jostling for the same ticket.
Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun is serving his first term from Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency II. There are three other contenders who are jostling for the same seat.
Hon. Abdulrahman Adebisi Yussuf, who is serving his first term representing Alimosho Constituency I, has one person to contend with despite the approval given for his return unopposed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.
Hon. Omotayo Oduntan is serving her second term though not consecutively representing Alimosho Constituency II. She was there in 1999-2003 and from 2011-till now. She has also received Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s nod to go for second term. But that notwithstanding, there are two aspirants who want to give her a good run for the ticket.
Hon. Sultan Adeniji-Adele, the son of Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, is serving his first term representing Amowo Odofin Constituency I. There are seven other contenders who want to give him a good run for his influence and money to also get the ticket. Among these seven aspirants is Hon. Ajoke Risikat Adeniyi-Adegeye, King Sunny Ade’s wife who was the immediate occupant of the seat.
Hon. Ramatollahi Akinola-Hassan, who is representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, for the first time has only two people jostling for the same ticket.
Hon. Ganiyu Olusegun Olulade, from Epe Constituency II, is equally a first termer in the hallow chamber. He has two aspirants to contend with before securing his second term ticket.
Hon. Fatai Adebola Mojeed, from Ibeju/Lekki Constituency I has three other aspirants to jostle with for his second term ticket.
Hon. Raheem Adewale Kazeem, his counterpart from Ibeju/Lekki Constituency II, has only one person to contend with for his second term ticket.
Hon. Bimpe Akinsola from Ikorodu Constituency II has just one aspirant jostling for her second term ticket.
Hon. Hakeem Agboola Masha is another first termer. He is representing Lagos Island Constituency I. His second term bid is in jeopardy because he has four other individuals to contend with for the ticket. One of them is Hon. Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun, the immediate past chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Council.
Hon. Muhibat Adeyemi Rufai, from Ojo Constituency I, has four people to slug it out with for her second term ticket.
Hon. Michael Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, from Ojo Constituency II, has only one individual to contend with for his second term ticket.
– TOLANI ABATTI
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