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As Lagos Gradually Slips Away Again by Ezeani Chukwunonso Elvis

15 Min Read

No man, no matter how strong can stand a situation wherein there is a grand conspiracy to deny him a prize he qualifies for and deserves on the basis of issues far from and not in any way related to competence, capacity and know how.

First, I wish to make it known to my friends and associates in political circles that the path I have decided to thread today is slippery and dangerous; as a matter of fact, I will be surprised if I am not disciplined on account of any offence(s) that this may be explained to constitute. Secondly, this note is not a reflection of the state of affairs of my great party – The Peoples’ Democratic Party as the only national party in existence on Nigerian soil. It is only my true and fair opinion of recent happenings in the Lagos State Chapter of my party with special focus on the post ward congress periods. Thirdly, I wish to state clearly that this article is written in my capacity as a Nigerian and not as the South West Zonal Director for Communication, Research and Strategy in the People’s Democratic Party National Youth Frontier. Finally, I wish to state in very clear terms that my undivided loyalty to my great party – The Peoples’ Democratic Party have made it necessary that I assume this dimension today.

The last few weeks have been politically worrying for me. Some days ago, my attention was drawn to a press statement issued by a political group going by the name “The Peoples’ Democratic Party National Youth League”. Immediately after that, an exposé was done by some investigative journalists who observed the ward congress exercise (from start till end) on the day it took place. Even though I did not witness that event, I considered the expose revealing and thought it necessary to form a personal opinion on that matter. Thus I swung into action; making telephone calls; contacting and meeting members of my party that attended the event and other stake holders in that process. I was asking hard questions in the process. Within four (4) days, my telephone service provider notified me my bill had crossed N20,000.00K. It did not deter me.

To start with, I’m fully aware that as I write, just two persons have fulfilled every condition precedent to contesting for the governorship ticket of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Lagos state. They are Ikorodu born Mr. Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi and Pharmacist Jimi Agbaje former governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples’ Party and shadow member of the All Progressives Congress. I learned Mr. Babasola Kuti never purchased either a nomination form or an expression of interest form hence I shall not dwell on him henceforth even though I am aware that at a point, with a GTBank account, he openly solicited financial assistance from members of the public towards his ambition. While, former Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is known to have purchased a nomination form and an expression of interest form, as at the last time I checked, completed copies of the said forms are yet to be submitted to the office of the National Organizing Secretary of my party. If this truth is anything to go by, it can then be concluded that just two persons are serious contenders for the governorship ticket of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Lagos State – Ikorodu born Mr. Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi and Pharmacist Jimi Agbaje.

Ordinarily, one would have expected that given a case as simple and straightforward as this (unlike in Delta State), the intrigues normally associated with politics would have reduced to the barest minimum but it appears the reverse has been the case since the conduct of the ward congress. Like I discovered, shortly after the conclusion of that exercise nearly three weeks ago, every governorship aspirant hopeful with interest in that exercise including Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro who is yet to submit his nomination form and expression of interest form stormed Abuja. Those who could not afford to do so personally got fronts including Chief Olabode George do so on their behalf. This time, the chief is promoting the interest of his preferred candidate; APC mole and PDP new convert Pharmacist Jimi Agbaje.

As an individual, I have deeply thought about the several desperate moves that are currently being made by gubernatorial candidates hopeful in the Lagos Chapter of my party and have discovered that although everyone seems to be fighting via every means they consider necessary, a common enemy that they all seek to outdo is Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi. What is this man’s sin? Where did he err? Who did he offend? What grouse have they with him that caused the outcome of the ward congress to be in transit to the National Headquarters of our great party for nearly three weeks before it was eventually received a few days ago?

Ikechukwu Samuel Agha Egwu is a very senior friend of mine and a founding member of the All Progressives’ Congress in Nigeria who I hold in very high esteem. Other top members of the APC I still respect till date are Sam Nda-Isaiah and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. My relationship with him has been productive and I can refer to him as a close confidant. Though he is nearly 45years my senior, my telephone conversations with him could span as long as one hour at a stretch that one may think he is a very close family member. Our topic of discussions is usually centered on Nigeria than any other thing and it was in the course of one of such talks that he told me that “politicians can be likened to rotten Apples in a basket”. He further said that in the said basket “While all Apples are rotten, some can be salvaged while others are totally rotten that nothing useful or edible can be cut out”. Such is the situation with the kind of candidates aspiring to bear my party’s flag in Lagos State.

Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi’s only sin is that he is the corporate whiz-kid from “outside the box” whose aspiration must be killed at all cost even if it will cost my party another 8 years on the waiting list as opposition party in Lagos State. His only err is that he has refused to be anybody’s pocket candidate who will not act except when permitted to do so by some “elders”. He is considered weak because rather than members of the NURTW and RTEAN, he prefers to engage and discuss Lagos politics and his aspiration with persons that are ready and willing to cause there to be a new Lagos where there will be a shift from the business as usual governance school of thought to the school of thought that emphasizes effective and responsible leadership. The persons he offended include but may not be limited to Chief Olabode George and Senator Segun Ogunlewe. The grouse they have with him is thus “If he wins the primaries, he will most likely win the elections since Lagosians are tired of the APC. If he wins the elections, we will not have a say in what happens in government house. We will not get choice contracts. We may not even have our children and boys appointed as commissioners and special advisers. We will lose alongside the APC.”

To be exact, there is a gang up against Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi and unless something urgent is done to put a stop to this entire madness, we in the Peoples’ Democratic Party will have spent the last eight (8) years waiting for the APC and Akinwunmi Ambode to continue leading Lagos State after the incumbent governor steps aside in 2015. Even though leaders of our party must be neutral at all times, I am of the view that the rule of neutrality must be broken in this case because besides the truth that the leverage the Peoples’ Democratic Party currently enjoys in Lagos state is on account of Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, natures’ law of equity favors his aspirations being from the Ikorodu bloc in Lagos state. Personally, beyond the zoning/ equity argument, I find Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi fascinating. His disposition is amazing and he strikes me as an expert in my kind of politics which is only based on better alternatives, issues, ideologies, innovation and solutions. If Chief Olabode George and Senator Segun Ogunlewe can go all out to quench a star as bright as this then I will advise every youth in the Lagos and larger PDP to disregard them when next they hit the air waves criticizing Bola Ahmed Tinubu for seeking to retain the entire APC under his bed. If they had a chance to commandeer the structures of the Lagos PDP, they will do worse.

Like President Goodluck Jonathan emphasized in his re-election declaration speech “WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS!” Between 1999 and 2003, my beloved home state, Anambra was in the firm grips of not a peoples’ government but a group of “elders” that would later translate to political godfathers and then tin gods. We as a people saw hell in the hands of this cabal and by the time their grip on my beloved Anambra was broken, our contemporaries have gone miles ahead of us. Although we have recovered our glories as a people, we will never forget those times in our history. It is on this basis that I will oppose anybody making any move to cause any state in Nigeria Lagos inclusive to suffer what Anambra State suffered during those times.

WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS because as I write, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi hasn’t any godfather like Pharmacist Jimi Agbaje. WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS because as I write, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi hasn’t any dual citizenship palaver to resolve like Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro. WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS because as I write Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi has never asked the public to lodge funds into any bank account on earth like Sola Kuti. WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS because as I write Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi is not committing to nominate any other candidate as his deputy should he emerge governorship candidate of Lagos State at the expense of that candidate. WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS because as I write Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi is not a product of the old order that is responsible for the failure and inability of the PDP to make a strong impression in Lagos State like Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. By all means, WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS.

I seize this opportunity to make a call to prominent youth leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. The aspiration of one of our own is being threatened by “the elders”. I therefore call on Hon. Abdullahi Hussain Mai-Basira to wield his powers as National Youth leader of my party. I also call on Uche Chuta, Dr. Tony Nwoye, Osita Ashiuloka Duru, Oche Joseph, Akaebube, Reno Omokri, and Usman Austin Okai. I also call on Seyi Adebowale, Godwin Ohimai Amaize, the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party National Youth Frontier, that of the People’s Democratic Party National Youth Vanguard and Rethink Nigeria. We must take a firm stand against attempts by some party elders that seem determined to scheme us out of the process of leadership. If we choose to be silent now, we will have sabotaged the 30% or Nothing demand we have been making and we must be ready to be silent forever.

Today, it’s a thick gang up against Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, I fear for what it will be in 2019 when I and some of the youth leaders I mentioned and those I have not mentioned will be seeking elective positions for the first time on the platform of our party. I am afraid!

Ezeani, Chukwunonso Elvis is South West Zonal Director; Communication, Research & Strategy at the Peoples’ Democratic Party National Youth Frontier. He sent in this note in his individual capacity & can be reached via @ NonsoEzeani1

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