*Tinubu, Aregbesola, Odumbaku fingered in cash-for-ticket allegation
By James Olubayo
Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is now in the eye of a storm, following widespread revolts in many areas of Lagos, over alleged massive rigging in the just-concluded local government elections.
The accusation also affects two top-notchers of the party, namely a Celestial Church of Christ cleric cum politician, Cardinal James Odumbaku and the governor of Osun State, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola.
Odumbaku is the chairman of the ACN in Lagos West while Aregbesola was once Commissioner FOR Works in Lagos State under Tinubu.
In what observers described as racketeering politics, the trio was alleged to have sold chairmanship tickets to the highest bidders during the party’s supposed primaries, especially in Ikeja and Yaba local councils and Ojokoro local council development areas, among others.
The campaign camp of Wale Odunlami, now on his third term, reportedly party with N50 million to pick the third term ticket, despite resentment from the indigenes of Ikeja who are lamenting that no indigene had become chairman in 50 years.
But denying the allegation of bribe-taking, chairman of ACN in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale described it as “one of the evil devices of our friends in the opposition.”
However, the general, local government election that took place last Saturday, October 22, has now sparked crises in many parts of Lagos, as the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has delayed release of results in many parts of Lagos, 72 hours after the poll was conducted.
While the LASIEC could not give any explanation over the non release of the entire results, the main opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the delay was to manipulate the election in favour of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria( ACN).
Surprisingly, while journalists and accredited election observers were denied access into the LASIEC office at Yaba, ACN members were allowed easy access in and out of the premises. ACN members are thugs. When sharpedgenews.com correspondent arrived at the headquarters of the Commission at noon, he was turned back by stern-looking security men, who said they had instructions from the authorities not to allow any one in. Other journalists from different media houses were also denied access into the LASIEC office.
Though the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Ronke Famakiwa said the decision to bar journalists was to prevent the place from being rowdy, inside sources confided in this reporter that the leadership of the Commission was holding a secret meeting with top-notchers of the ACN. A state leader of the ACN, a serving local government chairman and two commissioners were said to be part of the team meeting with the electoral body at a point.
Earlier results gathered from the 11 out of the 57 council areas indicated that the ACN was leading with 10 local government against one by the PDP. The areas where the ACN won include, Island Local Government; Lagos Island Local Council Development Area; Kosofe Local Government, Orile/Agege Local Council Development Area Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area; Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority; Ayobo/Ipaja Local Council Development Authority, Ikeja local government; Surulere local government, and Ifako-Jaiye local government area.
However, PDP is also vehemently contesting the purported result of local government election of Eti Osa announced on State television. It described it as ‘fraudulent and June 12-like’ stealing of people’s mandate by ACN.
Supporters of PDP who took to the streets this morning causing heavy vehicular movement in Ikoyi protesting that the state government had through its ‘mouthpiece’ state television announced the result of Eti Osa Local Government when the results sheets were yet to be officially announced.
The council chairmanship election which was contested by son of Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro, Ibraheem Babajide Obanikoro and five other councelorship candidates has been generating ripples, amid accusation that the ruling ACN wanted to ridicule Obanikoro who is Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana and a former governorship candidate of the PDP.