Lagos APC governorship race: Who gets the ticket?

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed its congress for November, many aspirants have signified interest to vie for the Lagos State governorship seat.

Perhaps as a result of the number of aspirants, it is difficult to guess who the party’s flag bearer in the next election would be. Right now, the state is awash with posters of different aspirants jostling for the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola’s job. From Lekki to Ikorodu and Ikeja to Badagry, the pictures of various aspirants adorn the state.

Despite the strong belief that the strongman of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has zoned Fashola’s successor to Lagos East, some aspirants from outside that zone are going about campaigning, and this might create some problems for the party. The party would, therefore, have to settle such internal wrangling to be able to emerge victorious in the February 28 election. Immediately the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, announced Akin Ambode as the next governor of Lagos, many things began to happen.

The APC immediately denied having officially announced its candidate; the pronouncement by the Oba polarised the state’s traditional chiefs, and a group within the party protested against what it termed imposition by the leader of the party. In fact, some aspirants went ahead to open their campaign offices. It is reported that in a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s secretariat, Tinubu openly told the gathering that the governorship position would go to Lagos East, thereby lending credence to the endorsement of Ambode who hails from Epe, a claim being contested by some members of the family he claimed to have come from.

Let us now take a look at the strong aspirants to the governorship seat.

Senator Ganiyu Solomon:

GOS as he is fondly called is currently representing Lagos West. He was the first to indicate interest to be governor. He has a huge grassroots support and has since commenced campaign to actualise his dream. GOS, if not “adequately convinced” to drop his ambition for another, should the party decide otherwise, is likely going to damn any consequence and pursue his mandate elsewhere and that will seriously affect the party.

Obafemi Hamzat:

He was the state’s immediate Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure. He seems to be having the support of Fashola but information revealed that it was the Asiwaju that brought him to the country from abroad. Though he is in Fashola’s kitchen cabinet and has been tipped as Fashola’s likely successor, it remains to be seen if the pendulum will swing in his favour. He is a top contender.

Akinwunmi Ambode: 

The former accountant-general of the state may likely clinch the ticket as he is said to be very close to Tinubu who allegedly instructed the Oba of Lagos to endorse Ambode as Fasola’s successor. He is from Lagos East and a Christian. Considering his relationship with Asiwaju and some bigwigs of the party, Ambode is a force to reckon with.

Adeyemi Ikuforiji:

He is said to be one of the few confidants of the national leader of the APC, Tinubu. The current Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly who is representing Ikeja at the Lagos House of Assembly is from Epe. He too is powerful and may also get the ticket.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa:

She has not officially announced her interest to contest for the governorship seat, but considering her relationship with Tinubu on whose wings she is currently serving her third term as a federal lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, aside her popularity in her Ikorodu Constituency, Erewa, the only female among the pack, may spring a surprise at the end of the day.

Dr. Leke Pitan: 

He is also a strong contender in the race for Fashola’s seat. The former Commissioner for Health in the state also hails from Lagos East. Also close to Tinubu, Pitan, with his years of experience on the job, has what it takes to govern Lagos and with Asiwaju on his side, anything can happen.

Senator Gbenga Ashafa:

When it was announced that the next governor of the state on the platform of the APC would emerge from Lagos East, Ashafa who has been silent on his ambition suddenly became active. The fact that he is presently representing Lagos East in the Senate is a big plus for him.

Tayo Ayinde:

There are speculations that Ayinde, who embarked on grassroots campaign some months ago and hails from Lagos East may be the ace on Tinubu’s sleeve. He may not be that known but as the Asiwaju’s former chief of protocol and a Christian, something could give in his favour.

Others may soon show interest but at the moment, the above are the main contenders for Fashola’s seat. But whichever way it goes, it is not going to be easy for the APC as the opposition party to win the election. This is because the PDP is not resting on its oars, as it is also making efforts to present a formidable candidate for the next gubernatorial election.

However, it should be noted that Lagos, as a metropolitan place, has non-indigenes, who constitute about 70 or 80 per cent population of the state doing business and contributing to its development but are never considered in the political scheme of things in the state. It is, therefore, time ethnic sentiment was done away with and non-indigenes were given a prominent place in the political scheme of things and their voice made to be heard in state.

It is sad that at the end of every governorship election, it is only the “indigenes” and those from other South-West states that are mostly considered for political appointments, though there is a paltry number of non-indigenes who have won elections to become local government chairmen and councillors. Aside Ben Akabueze who is part of Fashola’s cabinet, who else is there?

The argument here, therefore, is, if non-indigenes’ taxes are good enough to develop the state and their population determines who becomes governor, they (the individuals) should also be considered good enough to hold prominent political positions in the state.