As concerned members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) we are compelled to bring to public knowledge developments that culminated into the recent political disturbance in the council area.
Indeed, the loss of the party at the last National Assembly elections in the council area is highly regretted and it is our opinion that all hands must be put on deck to forestall a reoccurrence in the forthcoming local government election. But it seems the State Chairman of our party, Barrister Henry Oladele Ajomale is bent on destroying the unity and cohesion of the party before the council poll.
This has become evident in the unwholesome manner he has been heaping blames on imaginary enemies and looking for scape-goats over the loss of his son, Ladi Ajomale in the last House of Representatives election. After careful examination of events after the election, we dare say that rather than being a true father and a rallying point for the party, Ajomale is regrettably carrying the bitterness of the loss of his son too far with greater negative consequence for the party ahead of the local government election.
This cannot be farther from the truth as soon after the last election, the Ward Chairman of Ajao Estate, Lawrence Akanbi was accused of anti-party activity for collecting 50 bags of rice on behalf of the Local Government Executives of the party from the PDP House of Representatives member representing Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency II, Hon. Anthony Nwulu who coincidentally attends the same Catholic Church with Akanbi in Ajao Estate. Nwulu allegedly dropped the bags of rice at Akanbi’s residence for onward distribution to members of the LG executives of the party as part of his Christmas gift to members of his constituency last December.
Akanbi, it was gathered, got in touch with the LG party chairman, Alhaji Waheed Raji, who immediately ordered that the gift should be returned, a directive which Akanbi promptly carried out as Nwulu evacuated the 50 bags of rice two days later. But still smarting from the loss, Ajomale’s agent dropped an anonymous petition at the party’s secretariat leveling anti-party charges against Akanbi. The Disciplinary committee thereafter sanctioned Akanbi by imposing a three-month suspension on him despite his protestation and pleadings.
After serving out his suspension, Akanbi was expected to rejoin the party and reclaim his membership of the LG exco on May 8, 2016. But this was not to be as Alhaji Raji acting on orders from the state chairman made it difficult to convene the LG meeting where Akanbi’s reinstatement would be discussed.
For a party that pride itself for being the model of true democracy, equity, justice and fairness, we found it quite alarming that yet another petition passing a vote of no confidence on Akanbi which ostensibly was designed to foreclose his eventual return to the party was clandestinely received at the state secretariat of the party which Ajomale presides over. It was obvious that Ajomale was not satisfied with the three months suspension handed out to Akanbi. Hence, in an attempt to remove him from the party, Ajomale therefore assumed jurisdiction over the matter by using the instrument of the state to stall Akanbi’s return by ordering the Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Sadiq to constitute a 13-man investigative panel from Ward G to retry Akanbi for the alleged anti-party charge. This is fait-accompli as 11 members of the panel are Akanbi’s opponent which gives little or remote chance for the vindication of the respondent at the end of the day. It is even ironic that the panel is constituted by Ajomale’s acolytes who like their principal could not win their respective polling booths at the last election.
For Akanbi, this is double jeopardy for a man who has remained loyal to the party. He has won all elections at his polling booth even when Ajomale and his stooge, Raji have both lost theirs. They cannot claim to have more electoral values than the man they are witch-hunting.
It would be recalled that shortly after the last general election in Lagos State, some leaders and elders called for Ajomale’s resignation following the poor performance of APC within Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency I and II. Their call was reinforced by the realization that Ajomale has become an overspent political force whose leadership style is fast-eroding unity and cohesion which APC is noted for all over the country.
We are forced to bring the nefarious and vindictive attitude of Barrister Ajomale to the attention of the National Leader of our great party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and stakeholders of the party at the local government and state levels. For the avoidance of doubt, Ajomale’s witch-hunting expedition is already having an adverse effect on the party’s preparation for the forthcoming local government election as both the local government executive and general meetings have been suspended indefinitely following the crisis that greeted Akanbi’s stalled return to the party.
As avid followers of the political developments in the council area we dare ask what else does Ajomale want after his son has been duly compensated with a board appointment even when his bid to have him (Ladi) appointed a commissioner failed woefully. It still beats the imagination of many that the state chairman could not put forward any politician from the council area for commissionership appointment except his son, Ladi.
But for those who know him too well, Ajomale is fast threading the path of a political gadfly who only cares about himself while leaving others to wallow in mystery. The wave of discontentment that greeted the choice of his Personal Assistant, Bimbo Oshikoya as Sole Administrator of Isolo LCDA bare credence to his vindictive tendencies unbecoming of a leader of a great party with the change symbolism. Therefore, if APC must echo its change mantra, Ajomale must be called to order before he destroys the party in Isolo LCDA.
Signed
Adeyemi Aregbesola, Chairman
Adeola Adamolekun, Secretary
Concerned Isolo Group
