Follow Us on Google
By Sunday Ani, Lagos
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, Amuwo Arise for Good Governance (AAGG), has warned against moves by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to substitute the name of Mr Folorunso Olaitan Segun, who won the party’s ticket to represent Amuwo Odofin State Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The group vowed that it would resist the move as that would be the second time such substitution of Mr Segun would happen for the same position.
It called on the APC National Leadership and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, and the incumbent Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene so as to ensure that the rightful winner of the primaries as announced on Friday, May 27, was not shortchanged.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Sunday the Founder and Convener of AAGG, Cecil Okereke, said the constituency was affirming Segun’s candidature and an end to the era of imposition.
He noted that in 2018, Segun equally won the APC House of Assembly primaries but party leaders prevailed on him to step down for the incumbent legislator, Mrs Mojisola Macaulay, stressing that such an incident would not be allowed to happen this time as his victory proved the massive love he enjoys from the people.
“Be that as it may, it is important to state that constituents of Amuwo-Odofin, for the first time in their political history, are being allowed to exercise their democratic rights to choose their leaders without undue external interference.
“The people have spoken, and have given their mandate to Folorunso Olaitan Segun. It, therefore, beats one’s imagination that anybody would want to make an attempt to change the result that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already officially declared.
“We must state emphatically and unequivocally that any attempt by anybody or group of persons to mortgage the will of the people is tantamount to short-changing democracy and the noble progress made in terms of democratic development in Amuwo-Odofin and such an evil move will be vehemently resisted. The peace in Amuwo-Odofin should not be breached just to satisfy the selfish interest of somebody, especially at this time of the high level of insecurity in the country,” he said.
The group expressed confidence that the party supremacy would prevail but feared that continued subversion of the will of the people would erode the electorates’ confidence in the democratic process and lead to apathy, which would negatively affect the party’s electoral fortunes.
With Mr Okereke at the media briefing were the Woman Leader of Ola Western Campaign Organisation, Mrs Olamide Asuranmu, her deputy, Mrs Adeniji Jagbajagba, and the Youth Leader of Amuwo-Odofin, Olatunji Oladapo, among others.
