LAGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola is under pressure from close associates to dump his gentle approach to politics and fight for his political survival.
The pressure on the governor, weekend, came against the background of emerging intentions by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and some other senior party officials to contest the gubernatorial ticket of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the dominant party in Lagos State.
Vanguard gathered that the continued silence of the Governor over his second term aspiration was not going down well with elements in his kitchen cabinet who were now putting pressure on him to declare his intention.
The unease among the governor’s associates followed weekend’s reported declaration for the office of Governor by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji.
The Speaker and some other chieftains who are reportedly eyeing the Governor’s office are known associates of the erstwhile Governor of the State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Governor Fashola is equally a protegee of the former governor and leader of the party.
Speculations of Tinubu’s opposition
Reports of tension between the Governor and his predecessor had fueled speculations that Tinubu would be opposed to a second term for his successor but the former governor has been known to mediate in some of the face offs between the Ikuforiji led House and Fashola.
Sources close to Governor Fashola told Vanguard, yesterday, that aides and associates were bothered about the reluctance of the governor to declare his interest believing that he was giving in to the blackmail of parties interested in stopping him from seeking a second term in office.
One source, however, traced the governor’s inability to declare his interest to the party. The source who is a close associate of the governor told Vanguard: “The party decides and the governor is waiting on the party before he makes known his plans.
“He (Governor Fashola) is only trying to follow party instruction that nobody should declare his ambition until the party, ACN, released guidelines,” another associate of Fashola said, adding: “He is trying to be an obedient party man that is why he has not declared his intention to seek re_election in 2011.”
The source, however, added that “since others have started declaring their ambition, I don’t see the reason why Fashola too cannot declare. It, however, appears that the party’s law only applies to one person and does not apply to another because those who are declaring are close to the party leadership.”
Other two candidates who were said to have signified intention are Commissioner for the Environment Dr. Muiz Banire and lately, Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Ganiyu Hamzat.
Ikuforiji’s aspiration
There had been speculations over Ikuforiji aspirations in the past especially after the contest of will between the governor and the House of Assembly over allegations of impropriety laid against the governor by the House.
Also, Banire, who is yet to publicly declare his intention had been having a running battle with the governor. Consequent upon this, rumours had been rife that Banire has been secretly perfecting moves to contest against Fashola having secured the blessings of his mentor and political godfather, Tinubu.
Efforts to speak with the Publicity Secretary of the state chapter, Mr. Joe Igbokwe were unsuccessful but a senior officer of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was unaware of any official declaration or move by the men to contest the governorship race, saying at the last meeting of the party, nothing was mentioned pertaining to their intentions.
The source said: “However, somebody must challenge him, the incumbent governor, this is a democratic party and that is what ACN is known for. The only situation we can not talk about is when there is a consensus candidate by members of the party and I don’t think there is any such arrangement.
“Also, going by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, guideline that parties must conduct primaries and there must be candidates to contest in the primaries and if it is so, then they are in order to declare interest in contesting.”
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