Encomium
A new aspirant for the governorship seat in Lagos under All Progressives Congress (APC) has just emerged. Mrs. Adetokunbo Tobun-Agbesanwa, an aide of Governor Babatunde Fashola has indicated interest to take over from her boss come 2015.
Adetokunbo Agbesanwa is former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s step daughter and a senior special assistant to Governor Fashola on School Environmental Advocacy. Her mother is the late Major Moji Adekunle Tobun, former wife of Chief Obasanjo.
She is coming out from Epe, Lagos, like Akinwunmi Ambode and some aspirants within governor Fashola’s cabinet. To register her seriousness on her ambition, Mrs. Agbesanwa has released her campaign posters which have flooded Lagos Island and Epe where she comes from. She has also gone on consultation to power brokers in the state. Mrs. Agbesanwa presently is the only female contender for the Lagos governorship post. She once worked under Mrs. Adenrele Adeniran Ogunsanya, former secretary to the Lagos state government.
Mrs. Agbesanwa told ENCOMIUM Weekly that she is qualified and ready for the race to occupy the Lagos seat of power come 2015, and that she is ready to contest with others in the governorship primaries fixed for November 2015. She added that she has all it takes to take the state to the next level.
On whether she would be able to defeat other popular male contenders, Mrs. Agbesanwa said, “I’m confident about my victory in the primaries. I am bold and confident, even though I am the only female aspirant who has indicated interest in vying for the position.”
Asked if she could defeat Ambode and others being backed by Tinubu and Fashola, the political scientist said, “I think politics is supposed to be fair. It is like you wake up in the morning and you are just lying down, you don’t exercise. Over time, you will have heart problem, you will have serious problems. In politics, if you don’t allow people to compete, if you don’t allow activities, then you are looking for a time bomb.”
Do you have somebody who is behind your ambition, we asked further. “I don’t think at my age somebody has to tell me what is right or wrong or what I can do or not be capable of doing. If you allow people to determine who you are, then you have failed in the first place. So, you have to believe in yourself first.”
Information has it that Mrs. Agbesanwa may have been endorsed by some party chieftains in her zone to weaken Ambode’s political structure ahead of the primaries.
Meanwhile, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who just returned to the country few days ago to clear the air about his health status, has told all APC members aspiring for elective positions to go to the field and do their homework, as there would not be any automatic ticket.
– FOLSUO SAMUEL
