Why APC May Lose Lagos House of Rep Race In Ojo 2

Abideen Muhammed/LAGOS/ Youths from the All Progressive Congress, APC in Ojo area of Lagos state has kicked against the emergence of Suraju Tijani as the flag bearer of the party for House of Representative in Ojo Constituency 2.

The people of Otto Awori and its environs under the auspice of Bibire Volunteers on Tuesday, 23rd October, 2018, took to the streets rejecting the inclusion of Mr Suraju Tijani, aka EMIR, who came second at the poll, as the winner of the primary election for Ojo constituency 2.

The BIBIRE Group argued that the Primary election of the APC held on Friday, 5th October, 2018 for House of Assembly, OJO constituency 2 is full of irregularities, assaults and a stolen mandate. The youths of Ojo therefore held the peaceful protest to register their displeasure and calling on APC leaders to do toe the party of justice and equity.

One of the protesters, Prince Gboyega Olugbogi claimed that the former Executive Chairman of Otto Awori LCDA, Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert popularly known as BIBIIRE won with 25 votes but Mr Suraju Tijani (EMIR) colluded with the electoral officers and the Chairman of Okada and Motorcycle Riders Association (NNAMORAL), Alhaji Sulaimon Raji Adeshina aka JAFO to manipulate and “steal the mandate”.

Prince Gboyega furthered described the Primary election as a crisis ridden exercise orchestrated by JAFO thugs.

“While elections were peacefully conducted at 4 out of the 6 wards, the 2 other ward elections were disrupted by the ensuing violence, particularly ward G and F. Although, the crises was partially managed without any casualties at ward G (Iwere) whereas at Ward F (Ilogbo Elegba) where Mr. Bolaji Kayode voted, the thugs resorted into violence that recorded 4 casualties of mild injury from bricks and planks employed by the hundreds of thugs who were convened into the centre on several motorcycles and other vehicles by the state Chairman of Okada and Motorcycle Riders Association (NNAMORAL), Alhaji Sulaimon Raji Adeshina aka JAFO”, he said.

He also claimed that the returning officer of Ojo LGA, Evangelist Olufemi O Abolarinwa confessed on the telephone to have manipulated the results of Ward F where election was disrupted by inflating the score of the aspirant under duress in favor of EMIR.

“The returning officer, Evangelist Olufemi O Abolarinwa while announcing collared results for all the wards, suddenly announced a fabricated 904 votes for Mr. Suraju Tijani (EMIR) claimed to have polled from the same ward F and no single vote for Mr. Bolaji Kayode (imagine, in his own ward) where at the time of disruption, Hon. Bolaji Kayode was already at 421 while Mr. Suraju Tijani polled only 147. Swiftly, the Barr. Olasunkanmi Odusanya, seconded by another Aspirant’s agent protested the result which the returning officer upheld.”

He also blamed the returning officer to have compromised the truth and traded BIBIIRE’s mandate for unknown reason. He was also condemned for announcing BIBIIRE as the winner with 25 votes while submitting something else to the Independent National ElectoraI Commission (INEC). It was also gathered that the election was contested by nine aspirants in which Mr. Bolaji Kayode (BIBIIRE) won with 25 votes.

He continues, “Mr Olufemi O Abolarinwa announced the following scores all aspirants; Bolaji Kayode – 516; Suraju Tijani – 491; Dele Giwa – 427; Oyefolu Taye – 300, Kola Biola -217, Oyefolu Jelil – 121, Sanni Muiz – 179, Okedeyi Emmanuel – 93 and Aderemi, A – 75, admitting Bolaji Kayode’s clear lead with 25 votes and assured that he will submit only the results of the 4 wards concluded to the state secretariat”.

The police officers from Ijanikin Police station were around to ensure that the protest remains peaceful as possible. One of the police officers identified as Ubine Eugene ascertained that the election conducted in Ojo constituency 2 was manipulated and that the mandate of BIBIIRE was stole by his enemies.

“It was disappointing that Olufemi Abolarinwa who claimed to be an Evangelist compromised his integrity by selling Bolaji Kayode Robert’s mandate, yet we as Progressive Youths, have employed Hon. Bolaji Kayode Robert to employ all democratic and legal means to pursue the recovery of his mandate as we cannot be reduced to being represented by a thug”.

Prince Gboyega beaconed on APC leaders both at state and national level to intervene and ensure that justice prevails in order to record success in the forth coming election: “We observed that if this open cheating is allowed to fly, we maybe creating a vulnerable situation ahead of the 2019 election. We therefore call on the Leadership of our dear party at both state and national level to wade into the situation and deliver justice to Ojo constituency 2 progressives, return to the rightful owners. Only then can a smooth sail in the general elections be guaranteed”.