Isolo 2021:  Olasoju battles Muniru and Adam for the ticket

By Damilola Kushimo

The intra-party struggle for the party’s ticket to contest for the chairmanship position is becoming tougher among the six contenders under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Isolo Local Council Development Are (LCDA).

Meanwhile, only six – Hon. Adebayo Olasoju, Hon. Toheeb Aregbesola, Hon. Akeem Muniru,

Hon. Eletu Atinshola, Hon. Mojeeb Adam and Hon. Taoheed Taiwo were finally screened by the APC State Screening Committee on Saturday, last week.

Initially, it was a struggle among the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG), Hon. Emmanuel Olojede, the council vice chairman, Hon. Adebayo Olasoju and other aspirants such as the former House of Representatives member, Hon. Akeem Muniru; the former vice chairman of Isolo LCDA, Hon. Mojeeb Adam; the former sole administrator, Oshodi-Isolo LGA, Hon. Taoheed Taiwo; Hon. Toheeb Aregbesola and Hon. Eletu Atinshola.

The six are going for the party’s primary on May 29, 2021.

As exclusively reported by ECHONEWS, Olasoju is being backed by Fuji maestro Chief Ayinde Anifowoshe popularly known as KWAM1.

The highly influential musician has been able to gather the support of political heavyweights such as the former chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale, grassroots political strategist, Otunba Jide Oni and their followers behind the ticket.

Hon. Mojeeb Adam is flying the indigenes’ flag as supported by the monarch and some other indigenes.

ECHONEWS reported that the Osolo of Isolo, Oba Kabiru Kolawole Alani Agbabiaka and 46 chiefs, community leaders and some political stakeholders in Isolo LCDA have endorsed the former vice-chairman of the local council, Hon. Mojeeb Adam as the chairmanship aspirant to contest under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 24 local council elections.

The monarch had written a letter to the party leadership and other political leaders in the community and across the state communicating his endorsement of Adam’s chairmanship aspiration.

Adam, who doubles as the Balogun of Isolo, is to represent the indigenes’ effort to have their son as the next chairman of the local council.

At the beginning, the incumbent SLG had the backing of the council chairman, Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye but was later advised to step down for Akeem Muniru.

However, the recent development has indicated that only three out of the six aspirants who have obtained the party’s form and undergone screening are the major contenders – Adebayo Olasoju, Mojeeb Adam and Akeem Muniru.

While Olasoju is being backed by the coalition of Alhaji Wasiu, Chief Henry Ajomale and some other political bigwigs in the community including Alhaji Jide Oni, Alhaji Jimoh Ajao (Milanko), Monsuru Agbabiaka (Alagba), Mojeeb Adam has the support of the monarch and other indigenes and Akeem Muniru has become the sole candidate of Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, Shammeh and Hon. Jude Idimogu.

Recently, the three political big wigs in Isolo together with their allies formed a Unity Forum through which their candidates for the chairmanship and councillorship positions were announced and endorsed.

The Forum, which consists Friends of GAJ, Turaki Support Group, Abundance Team, Aiyedun Support Group and Emmakool Support group associated with the Member representing Oshodi-Isolo federal constituency 2; Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, the outgoing council chairman; Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye, the lawmaker representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency 2 at the State House of Assembly; Hon. Jude Idimogu, the former House of Representatives member and also a chairmanship aspirant Hon. Akeem Muniru and the incumbent Council Secretary, Hon. Emmanuel Olojede, jointly presented Akeem Muniru to contest for the chairmanship.

In a communique issued after their meeting titled “A Strategic Meeting Of Unity Forum” held on May 19, 2021, at the Ajao Estate residence of Chief Martins Ayo Adegboyega, the Forum explained that the decision to adopt Muniru was reached out of its genuine interest to sustain the developmental stride of the outgoing chairman, in the interest of all residents.

In addition to that, it also announced the endorsement of the incumbent council leader, Hon. Remy Shittu Remy as its councillorship candidate for Apena Ward as well as Hon. Chidiebere Iheasirim for Ajao Estate, Kehinde Ajala for Ire-Akari Ward, Hon. Nofisat Shobayo-Lawal for Ilasamaja, Adele Oladipupo for Okota Ward, Wasiu Durojaye for Alagbeji Ward and Abolaji Yusuf for Akinbaiye Ward.

The Forum urged its supporters and other party members across the seven wards to vote for the aspirants in the forthcoming primaries.

The communique read in part: “A strategic meeting of Unity Forum, a coalition of support groups, political leaders and elders in Isolo LCDA have decided to work together to actualise victory at the forthcoming local government election primaries of the All Progressives of Congress (APC).

“The coalition of support groups which include Friends of GAJ, Turaki Support Group, Abundance Team, Aiyedun Support Group and Emmakool draws inspiration from eminent leaders and elders such as Chief Martins Adegboyega, Hon Gbolahan Okuneye, Elder Francis Makinde, Engr. Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson, Pa Ogunbowale, Hon. Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye and Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu.

“Others include Deaconess Iyabo Obasa, Alhaji Adele Shamsideen (Shamtao), Alhaji Hakeem Adeshope, Hon. Hakeem Abiodun Muniru and Hon. Kolawole Emmanuel Olojede.

“The Forum among other things resolved as follows: The Unity Forum is genuinely committed to the continuation of the sterling development of Isolo LCDA under a pragmatic and vibrant council chairman who shares a better and resounding future for the people of Isolo council area. The Unity Forum therefore unanimously agreed to endorse the candidature of Hon. Hakeem Abiodun Muniru as the coalition’s candidate for the forthcoming APC chairmanship primaries in Isolo LCDA. The coalition also agreed to endorse councillorship aspirants across the seven political wards of Isolo LCDA.  They are: Remy Shittu Remy (Apena), Kehinde Ajala (Ishagatedo/Ire-Akari), Nofisat Shobayo-Lawal (Ilasamaja), Chidiebere Magnus Iheasirim (Ajao Estate), Adele Usman Oladipupo (Okota), Wasiu  Durojaiye (Alagbeji) and Abolaji Yusuf (Akinbaiye).

“The coalition enjoins its supporters spread across the seven political wards and people of good conscience to come out to vote for all the candidates of the coalition during the forthcoming local government elections primaries of our great party, APC.”

Meanwhile, the former councilor representing Akinbaiye Ward and three-time contender for the chairmanship seat, Hon. Sodiq Adeola (Imole) and the former lawmaker in the constituency, Hon. Niyi Fabikun are among the big guns who have openly announced their support for the incumbent council Vice-Chairman, Hon. Adebayo Olasoju.

Adeola, who had hoped to fly the indigenes’ flag, explained that he ‘honourably’ withdrew from the race out of regard for the party’s supremacy.

He said he was reminded of the agreement reached by party leaders in 2017 to field Olasoju as its candidate before powers that be at the top settled for the outgoing chairman hence, the need to withdraw from the race and throw his weight behind Olasoju.

He, however, advised other aspirants, especially those who were in the know of the previous agreement to respect the party’s decision and stop going on with their ‘show of desperation.’

“I’ve withdrawn from the race in the interest of the party because the party is supreme and I trust the decision of the leaders. If other aspirants believe in our party there won’t be any division. We understand our party. We know how our party works, it is only those who are so desperate that won’t regard the supremacy of the party. They don’t give political office to someone who’s more like a job seeker. My main reason of contesting is to represent my people and up till tomorrow my programme is still in my head. I shared it with the outgoing administration and only two of the idea was used. I’m still going to achieve them if given the opportunity to serve. I’m not going to force myself on the people.

“For now, I’m giving Hon. Olasoju my support. I will like to advise others to have that understanding as well if truly they love the party we are all in. They should respect and abide by the decision of the leaders. I believe the decision is in the interest of the party. This is not about imposition, it’s all about understanding.”

On his own, Fabikun said: “My appeal goes to all of them because we all know that the ticket and seat belong to one person and they should all support who emerges in the primary. Of course, everybody should go for primary because I am a product of primary and it survived me so if there’s one (primary), I will always encourage it and I’m sure that whoever emerges will be good for the party. It is natural that you’ll have whom you’re supporting and I’m supporting Otunba Bayo Olasoju. Ahead of the primary and even after, they should be calm and be good party members. They should eschew rancour against one another and the party.”

Also commenting, the APC party chairman, Isolo LCDA, Barr. Ganiu Bello commended the screening committee while urging the contests to accommodate peace during the primary election.

He said: “Both parties have done well, that is, the screening committee members and councillorship aspirants have done well. Even our chairmanship aspirants, all of them are qualified and there’s an assurance by the party that there will be primary election and it will be free, fair and a level playing field for everybody.

“I’ll only advise all aspirants to shun hooliganism and desperation.  One person will only be elected for the councillorship in each ward as well as one person as the chairman in the LCDA. Whoever loses the election should be willing to work with whoever wins for the interest of our party.”