Intense lobby for posts hits Ejigbo political circles

By Saheed Afolabi and Motolani AbdulGafar

Politicians are leaving no stone unturned in their frantic efforts to secure a position n the next executive councils of Ejigbo and Oshodi –Isolo.

According to the administrative guidelines, the vacancies are the offices of the Secretary to the Local Government, supervisors for Works, Education, Health, Environment, Agriculture and special advisers on revenue and boundary matters.

The lobby began as soon as it was clear that the tenure of the former officials was coming to an end.

In Ejigbo LCDA, groups and leaders of various caucuses mobilized to the campaign venues of the chairman, Hon. Monsuru Bello Obe to make cases for more representation of their interests in return for their votes in his favour in the July 24 elections.

For instance, groups are falling over each other in Aigbaka ward in support of politicians who want to retain their offices or dislodge their contenders.

The point of disagreement is a provision of Article 17: ‘Tenure of office’, column I and II of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s constitution which provides that that appointees can only spend two successive terms in office.

It reads:

“i. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all officers of the Party elected or appointed into the Party’s organs shall serve in such organs for four (4) years and shall be eligible for re-election or re-appointment for another period of four (4) years only, provided that an officer elected or appointed to fill a vacancy arising from death, resignation or otherwise shall notwithstanding be eligible for election to the same office for two terms.

ii. No member shall serve in the same office for more than eight (8) years continuously, except a member of the Board of Trustees or a person who first came to the office by filling a vacancy.”

While those agitating to replace the only supervisor from Aigbaka ward, Hon. Ayo Ojo are citing this provision, his supporters rely on the use of the word, “continuously” to argue that the provision does not apply to him.

Ojo had served in the executive committee of the Kehinde Bamigbetan administration between 2011 and 2014. He was appointed in 2017 by the Obe administration.

His supporters also cited the composition of the executive council at the Lagos State level which features several commissioners who had served the state in various offices.

Observers believe the agitation was the brainchild of persons who felt the supervisor was not generous in spreading the dividends of democracy while in office.

But Ojo, it was gathered, has challenged his opponents to a meeting where he would reveal his contributions to the party in the ward in the last four years.

These include contributions towards the meetings of the party, gifts during festivities and financial assistance towards medical expenses.

Similar agitation is growing in Ailegun ward where residents are asking for more supervisors and special assistants in the new council.

They also claimed that the current holders of the portfolio such as Education supervisor Bello has not supported the party members welfare generously.

 But persons close to Bello told Echonews that he maintains good rapport with the rank and file members of the party.

In Oke-Afa ward, the hotbed of politics, those eyeing the position of the Secretary to the local government, Mr Paul Fregene are moving round to rally forces even as his supporters are standing firm by him.

They argue that Fregene has added value to the council by consolidating the support for the chairman among the South-South indigenes and bring his corporate exposure to governance.

The agitation is coming against the backdrop of the continuity principle which led to the return of the council chairman and the councillors and is expected to apply to the executive council members.

Besides, he has acted as a good ambassador of the LCDA at the state level where he is a frontline member of the League of Secretaries of the Local Government.

It would be recalled that Obe had during his campaign at the general youth interactive section, promised the National Youth Council of Nigeria Ejigbo branch, two SSA slots while also promising the family of Akinsanya-Adekan a slot for SSA in response to the appeal of the family head, Alhaji Biliamin Akinsanya, during a visit by his campaign team to the family before the election.