Lagos Senatorial, House of Reps primaries: Ashafa rejects result, calls for NWC intervention

..Factional chairman condemns exercise

.Sanwo-Olu opens campaign office

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Senatorial aspirant in the Lagos East, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has rejected the result of the senatorial primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, held last weekend, where his contender, Bayo Oshinowo was declared winner of the exercise.

Also, anxiety has continued to rise following the non-release of House of Representatives primaries results by the state chapter of the party.

Ashafa, while rejecting the result by the committee, laid claim to victory at the recently concluded Senatorial primaries in the state.

Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, had at released part of the results of the rescheduled primaries held on Friday in the state.

Imasuen, during a media briefing, at the party’s Secretariat, ACME, Ogba, Ikeja, said the primaries were contested for the three senatorial seats, 24 House of Representatives and 40 state House of Assembly seats, describing the exercise as peaceful and successful.

According to Imasuen, Senenator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the National leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, polled 89,494 votes unopposed to emerge as candidate for Lagos Central, while, Senator Olamilekan Solomon, representing Lagos West, won with 378,906 votes as against the 1,179 votes polled by Mr. Kayode Opeifa and Mrs. Areago Olopade’s1,275 votes.

Imasuen, added that a new entrant and a member of the State House of Assembly, Bayo Oshinowo, defeated the incumbent Senator Gbenga Ashafa with 247,743 votes  to emerge as new candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial district, saying, Ashafa, polled 20,385 in the primary.

Imasuen said the details of the House of Representatives and state House of Assembly primaries results were ready and would be released later.

While commending the people for good conduct and other stakeholders for supporting the committee in doing its work, he said: “The primaries were peaceful and successful. We thank the state chapter led by Tunde Balogun for the support for the committee. We also thank all other stakeholders including all members of our party in the state for making the conduct a success.”

When contacted on the non release and conflicting results of the primaries, chairman of the state chapter of APC, Balogun, declined any comment saying the party has appointed committee members who are authorized to give further comment.

But he said the state party will make official comment after the National Convention of APC in Abuja.

Ashafa who at the time of the primaries/affirmation exercise was the only candidate cleared to contest the election on the party alongside the other incumbent Senators from Lagos Central, Tinubu and Adeola, respectively, had insisted that being the only recognized candidate, he was going into the elections unopposed.

According to him, “A report has been making the rounds across a few media houses, alleging the announcement of Bayo Oshinowo as the winner of the Lagos East senatorial election.

“This unconfirmed report has caused palpable tension within the district due to the failure of the state party to make an official statement on the matter.”

Ashafa added that while speaking to one of the officials of APC, in Abuja who pleaded anonymity on the unfolding event, said: “There is no way results of an election would have been announced if what took place was an affirmation. Furthermore, it would be juvenile to declare an individual, (Osinowo) who did not scale through the screening process of the party the winner of an election he was not qualified for.”

As at the time of filing this report none of the spokes persons of both camps could be reached as aggrieved party awaits final decision by the National Working Committee, NWC, on the matter.

Also the House of Representatives acclaimed winner of the primary, Dayo Bushura, in Kosofe Constituency, urged his supporters to remain calm as speculation spread that the party has decided to announce one of his opponents as winner of the exercise.

“This has increased tension in the area because of the uncertainty surrounding the  non release of official results by the party,” Bushura said.

Oki condemns

Former Vice-Chairman of Lagos chapter of APC, and now factional leader of a break-away group, Fuoad Oki, has accused both the National and state leadership of the party of anti-democratic practices.

According to Oki: “The primary election in Lagos State is nothing but a sham. It was a charade and I am glad that it has further exposed the Emperor and his determination to appropriate Lagos State APC.  All that happened in the last One Week has been a brazen rape of democracy. It is very glaring that the Party will pay for appropriately.

“I has said it severally that, Comrade Adams Oshiomole is the undertaker brought to organise the funeral of the APC. It is becoming real by the day.

“I want to see the magic that will turn Lagos from red to blue at the elections next year. The fall out of the Party Primaries is yet to settle as we have several cases in Courts against the same impunity and lack of internal democracy, disregard for the rule of law which permeate the political space in Lagos.”

Sanwo-Olu campaign office opens

Preparatory towards the campaign for 2019 general elections, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organisation, BOSCO, supporters of APC gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, Jide Sanwo-Olu, has concluded plans to open campaign office today in Ikeja GRA.

According to information by one of the officers, who preferred anonymity, dignitaries expected at the opening includes; members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, Party leaders, members and supporters of the candidate.

File name: Lagos senatorial…10/07/2018