Encomium
HON. Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun is the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Council. He was recently appointed the General Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Lagos State.
ENCOMIUM Weekly met him recently to ask how he would cope with the two offices. We also asked him about the legacies he would be leaving behind in Lagos Island Local Government after the expiration of his tenure in October 2014.
We want to congratulate you on your appointment as the General Secretary of APC in Lagos State.
Thank you very much.
How does it feel to be appointed the General Secretary of a party like All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State?
It is an honour and added responsibility.
But you are still the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area. How easy will it be for you to combine the two responsibilities?
No problem, I will do it. I will combine it well. I am used to hard work.
With your appointment as the party’s secretary, is it possible for you to contest any elective post after the expiration of your tenure at Lagos Island Local Government Council?
I don’t know. Everything revolves around the leadership of the party.
Did you seek this position or it was just the party that decided to give it to you?
I think that is what the party wants me to do at this particular point in time.
What does the work of party General Secretary entail?
General running of the party. The secretary of the party is called the party. He is Mr. Party. He is the one that is involved in the administration of the party. He works closely with the chairman of the party.
Your party, APC being the most prominent in Lagos State, don’t you think being the General Secretary could be very challenging?
We have always been the strongest, the most prominent party whether as AC, ACN or APC, in the state. Now, we are the strongest party in Nigeria. We look forward to a well organized issue oriented campaign for the 2015 elections.
A lot of people criticized your party’s style of consensus to pick its candidates rather than primary elections. What is your take on this?
I think the party has the right to choose the means and ways it desires for selecting its flagbearers. I have not heard of councilors or M.Ps (members of parliament) in United Kingdom being involved in primary elections to select their candidates. They always use consensus. And nobody is complaining. The most important thing is to be fair and just to everybody.
How will you describe your experience as the chairman of Lagos Island in the last five years plus?
Marvellous and magnificent. It opened a lot of things for me and made me believe that when you have the will, there will always be a way. It has helped me to do a lot of things that a lot of people think were not possible.
What would you say has been the most challenging period of your tenure?
I can’t remember any. Before you assume office you must have your plans and policies. I think the experience of the past helped a lot. In executing most of your plans there wouldn’t be enough money but we were able to overcome this one way or the other.
When will you consider your best moment as the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area?
The moment that I will continue to cherish for the rest of my life was when I was able to provide free text books, uniforms, writing materials to all the pupils in primary schools in the last five sessions. This gladdens my heart a lot. Also the fact that we were able to do so many roads that will withstand the test of time because of the materials used.
What is the one thing you think the people of Lagos Island will remember you for after your tenure?
That is left for them to decide. But those things that I have mentioned, particularly the roads in Isale Eko area of which 99 per cent have been paved or tarred will be one thing the people will remember our administration for.
– TOLANI ABATTI
