8th December, 2014
Jamiu Yisa
The primary election to pick candidates who will fly the flag of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives election in 2015 produced upsets on Sunday.
As at last count, 13 House of Representatives members on APC platform will not return when the eighth Assembly convene in June, 2014 from Lagos State.
Six of them: Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Ikorodu Federal Constituency; Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Lagos Island Federal Constituency 1; Monsuru Owolabi, Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency; Dauda Kako-Are, Mushin Federal Constituency 1; Ganiyu Hamzat, Mushin Federal Constituency 2; and Rafeequat Onabamiro, Badagry Federal Constituency; all withdrew from the race. Seven of them were beaten in the primary.
The shock of the primary was the defeat of Deji Jakande in Mushin Federal Constituency 1.
He was humiliated by immediate past Chairman of Odi-Olowo Local Council Development Area, Taofeek Adeyemi Alli.
Alli scored 235 votes while Jakande had eight votes.
The son of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Fouad, was beaten in the race to pick APC ticket for Lagos Island Federal Constituency 1 after the withdrawal of the incumbent, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas from the race.
The ticket was won by current Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, on Youths, Sports and Social Development, Dolapo Badru.
Fouad came fourth in the race with 21 votes. Badru had 128 votes; Fatade won, 67 and Ayo had 58.
In Ojo, ex-Chairman of Ojo Local Government, Yinka Murisiq Durosinmi defeated the incumbent, Oluwatoyin Suarau.
Suarau came third with 93 votes; former Auditor General for Local Governments in the state, Muhammad Mubasiru Hassan was second with 117 votes while Durosinmi, younger brother of former Deputy Governor in the state, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, scored 204 votes.
In Ifako-Ijaye Federal Constituency, another incumbent, Yomi Ogunnusi was defeated by former Special Adviser on Education to Governor Fashola, Elijah Olu Adewale, popularly called Dr Jah.
Adewale polled 250 votes, Ogunnusi a.k.a. Baba Ilabe got 82 votes. In Apapa Federal Constituency, former Chairman of the local government, Ayodeji Joseph beat incumbent Jimoh Adewale to pick the ticket while in Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency 1, incumbent Moroof Akinderu Fatai (MAF) lost out.
In Surulere Federal Constituency 2, immediate past Chairman of Itire-Ikate LCDA, Hakeem Adisa Bamgbala beat incumbent Aliu Kazeem with 12 votes. In Agege Federal Constituency, another incumbent, Samuel Adejare, had a bad day as he lost the party’s ticket to ex-Chairman of Orile Agege LCDA, Taofeek Abiodun Adaranijo. Adejare came third. Adaranijo polled 178 votes; immediate past Chairman of Agege LG, Jubril Ayodeji Abdul Kareem polled 123 votes; while Adejare got 86 votes.
Other incumbents were lucky: Hakeem Abiodun Muniru won in Oshodi Isolo Federal Constituency 2; Yakubu Abiodun Balogun won in Lagos Island Federal Constituency 2; House of Representatives Minority Leader, Hakeem Gbajabiamila won in Surulere Federal Constituency 1; Taiwo Adenekan won in Ajeromi Ifelodun Federal Constituency; and James Abiodun Faleke won the APC ticket for Ikeja Federal Constituency without any opposition.
In Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency, immediate past Chairman of Yaba LCDA, Abdur Raheem Olajide Jimoh popularly called JJ won while another former Badagry council chairman, James Bamgbose picked the Badagry Federal Constituency ticket.
Lanre Odubote representing Epe Federal Constituency failed to pick the ticket as he was beaten by former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Wale Raji.
In Mushin Federal Constituency 2, current member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bolaji Yusuf Ayinla, picked the APC ticket for the constituency while in the absence of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Jimi Benson picked the ticket for Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
In Alimoso Federal Constituency, ex-member of the state House of Assembly and former Chairman of Alimoso Local Government, Olufemi Adebanjo popularly called ‘Eyes Open’ picked the party’s ticket at the expense of immediate past Chairman of Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Alhaji Abdur Rasheed Abiodun Mafe.
The case of Kosofe Federal Constituency was however different as voting could not take place due to protests among the supporters of the three major contestants: incumbent Dayo Bush-Alebiosu; current Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State, Bosun Jeje; and immediate past Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Rotimi Agunsoye. The primary for the federal constituency will take place at a later date.
In Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, incumbent federal lawmaker, Ganiyu Olukolu defeated son of the party’s National Vice Chairman for southwest, Chief Pius Akinyelure.
Another incumbent, Babajide Akinloye retained the ticket of the party for Eti Osa Federal Constituency while Wole Diya would seek a return to the House of Representatives he left in 2011 on APC platform to represent Somolu Federal Constituency. He picked the ticket after defeating former Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Prince Sesan Olanrewaju.