The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State yesterday cleared 12
aspirants intending to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2015.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Obafemi Hamzat abruptly
cancelled the formal declaration of his governorship aspiration slated to hold
today at The Haven, Ikeja.
A source said Hamzat cancelled his declaration due to the party
primaries, which were suddenly rescheduled to begin today.
The aspirants were certified in Ikoyi for the party primaries, which had
been rescheduled to Thursday, following the release of the party’s guidelines.
At the Ikoyi meeting, the party cleared Hamzat, the Senate Minority
Whip, Ganiyu Solomon, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji,
former Accountant-General Akinwunmi Ambode and former Commissioner for Health
Leke Pitan.
Other aspirants are Tayo Ayinde, former Attorney-General Olasupo
Shasore, former Commissioner for Special Duties Tola Kasali and Adetokunbo
Wahab, among others.
The clearance has ruled out the possibility of presenting a consensus
candidate.
The source said the governor “has been supporting Shasore’s governorship
aspiration. Shasore has been Fashola’s original candidate from the beginning.
But his aspiration has violated the party’s zoning rule, which has been in
force since 1999. The same rule was applied in 2007″.
“The party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu came to power in 1999
from Lagos West and Fashola in 2007 from Lagos Central. It is now the turn of
Lagos East senatorial district. It is ironic that Fashola is supporting an
aspirant outside the party’s zoning calculation.”
The source said Ambode remained the frontrunner among the aspirants,
noting that he had built strong grassroots support base; well-connected with
various professional groups and elicited massive support from youths, tradesmen
and artisans.
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Politics