Alimosho Constituency 01 may witness a major uprising as the 2019 general elections draw near. This is because of the growing opposition to the third term ambition of the lawmaker representing the constituency in the state assembly, Hon. Bisi Yusuf. Not less than seven others have indicated interest to replace Yusuf. In this report, Community Standard’s Adeyemi Sulaimon x-rays the issues and the contenders for the sole ticket.
The third term ambition the member, representing Alimosho Constituency 01 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bisi Yusuf, may not come to reality if the mounting opposition within the constituency persists.
Inkling to this assertion manifested in February during a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The two-term lawmaker and former executive chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area had used the opportunity of the large crowd to announce his intention to go for third term.
The declaration, however, did not go down well with many of the party faithful especially, the youth, who feel the septuagenarian should leave the stage for others. Yusuf got the shock of his life as his declaration was greeted with boos, indicating total rejection.
Yusuf, no doubt, enjoys the support of the party leaders, especially, the faction loyal to Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo. However, observers of political events within the constituency are of the view that the event of Saturday February 4, 2018, is a clear signal that it would not be business as usual when the time comes for the party to decide who flies its ticket in 2019.
The Man Bisi Yusuf
Hon. Bisi Yusuf was born on 26th September, 1954. A Sociology graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Yusuf served as the Executive Secretary, of the newly created Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA from 2003 to 2004, and later became the Executive Chairman from 2007 to 2011. During the Seventh Assembly between 2011 and 2015, Yusuf was the Chairman, House Committee On Transport, Commerce And Industry. Currently, he is the Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts (Local Government).With his wealth of executive and legislative experiences, which of course is a good unique selling point for him, observers say the lawmaker may be difficult to upstage. This is coupled with the fact that he is considered to have a strong financial war chest to prosecute his ambition.
Similarly, some of the community development initiatives that had endeared him to many of the constituents will surely count for him. Through his Prince of Hope Turns to Reality Foundation, he organised a five-day health outreach where he distributed drugs and glasses, as well as sponsored surgical operations for about 400 constituents.
At the State Assembly in 2016, Yusuf raised a motion under Matter of Urgent Public Importance calling on the Senate to reconsider and pass a bill seeking a special status for Lagos state. The Senate had earlier rejected that bill. He had argued that the rejection by the senate had no basis.
He also has a large supporter base, including party stalwarts, who are ready to ensure he returns to Alausa come 2019.
But, how he does that in the face of stiff opposition and the calibre of those dragging it him remains an issue for contention.
Olusegun Elegbeda, a day dreamer?
A former two-term councillor in Alimosho Local Government, Olusegun Elegbeda (son of the late Oba of Egbeda) has indicated interest in upstaging the lawmaker comes 2019. Already, some of his supporters have been donning his campaign vests within the local government. He belongs to the Abe-Igi caucus. However, what could truncate his ambition was his performance during his councillorship sojourn. Those who are in the know about his antecedents alleged that he was an absentee councillor. In fact,communitystandard.com.ng gathered that the Alimosho legislative arm, which has seven seats for councillors, usually had six councillors on ground during most of their plenary sittings, while the current Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Jelili Sulaimon was the Leader. If the constituents hold this record against him, he may only be daydreaming about representing Alimosho Constituency 01 at the state assembly.Omooba Akintola Falade
Omooba Akintola Falade was the revenue monitoring committee chairman of old Alimosho Local Government from 1999 to 2002 under Sir Ayo Akinyemi. He was a supervisory councillor of Mosan Okunola LCDA under Chief Abel Olusegun Badejo, and also a two term Secretary to the Local Government of the LCDA.He had contested for the chairmanship of the LCDA three times but lost. After losing the party’s council chairmanship primary election to Alhaji Abdulrasheed Mafe, he later became two-term SLG from 2007 to 2013.
He is no doubt popular in Alimosho, being a grassroots person, but a major drawback is that he is one of the frontrunners of the aggrieved faction with the party. His penchant for constant attacks against the leadership of the party in Alimosho could spell doom for his ambition. In a recent open letter, Falde accused Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo of hijacking the party leadership, saying that Enilolobo was not in the leadership structure as at 2007 when the party leadership made him, Falade, the Secretary to Local Government for Mosan Okunola.
The Enilolobo group currently determines things in Alimosho, so Falade’s ambition could be termed dead on arrival except situation changes before 2019.
Akinola Bashiru (Akin Bash)
The former vice chairman of Alimosho Local Government contested the chairmanship of the council but lost. He is also one of the frontrunners of the aggrieved group. He is in his late fifties. He was alleged to have slapped a staff some years back for late coming while he was the Executive Secretary for few days. That single act is still being held against him till date, and those in the know say he has nowhere to go.
Rotimi Ogunwuyi
Born of November 9, 1967, Barr Rotimi Ogunwuyi attended the same Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with Bisi Yusuf, where he studied Law. He is the Legal Director of the APC in Mosan-Okunola LCDA. He was the former Sole Administrator of Mosan Okunola LCDA. At the February meeting, his campaign banner was conspicuously displayed at the venue, an indication that he meant business. However, his possibility of clinching the ticket ahead of Bisi Yusuf is slim. He decamped to Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in 2003 to contest against Hon Onibiyo Adelabu. He lost. He later returned to APC.Cooperator Oluwasegun Sodiya
He is currently the APC chairman of Agbado Oke Odo LCDA. Like Ogunwuyi, his campaign banners were hoisted at the February meeting. He is in his sixties like Bisi Yusuf.Comrade Abdulhafees Yusuf Omogbolahan (CAYO)
This is another aspirant seen by many as a strong contender against Bisi Yusuf’s third term ambition. He is in his late thirties, apparently the youngest of the pack. If the current clamour for more youth participation in governance is considered, he may give Yusuf a good run for his money.CAYO boasts of a B.sc degree in Biochemistry from Lagos State University and a Masters degree in Environmental and Resource Management from Brandenburg University of Technology, Germany, and currently runs PhD programme in same course at the University.
Through his CAYO Foundation, he has organised empowerment programmes for youths within the Constituency, as well as a two-day health mission.
He is youthful and full of ideas but the only challenge that could affect his chances is that he belongs to the aggrieved members’ caucus of the party in Alimosho.
Ahead of the pack, Bisi Yusuf still stands the chance, and the reason being that he belongs to the right caucus that determines state of affairs in the party in Alimosho. Most of his challengers, except Segun Elegbeda, are from the aggrieved faction of the party, a development that makes it easier for him. But, CAYO, being a youth and with strong academic pedigree, combined with his grassroots mobilisation skills, he remains a major contender.
The next couple of months will determine how things will turn out.
