Lagos APC Badagry division holds unity talks among aspirants

As the 2019 general elections draw nearer, leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Badagry division in Lagos, have held peace talks for all its aspirants in the 2019 polls, and advised them to work together for the success of the party irrespective of whoever emerges as the standard bearer for any elective post.

The meeting, which was held at the official residence of the deputy governor of the state, Dr Oluranti Adebule, who is also from the division, was attended by top APC members holding political offices from the area.

Some of those that attended the meeting included a former deputy governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan; APC chairman in the division, Prince Rabiu Oluwa; former House of Representatives member and Commissioner for Rural Development during the Babatunde Raji Fashola administration, Cornelius Ojelabi; APC woman leader in the division, serving members of the state executive council and House of Assembly, as well as all the 10 local government chairmen from the region among others

Adebule who, with other political leaders initiated the meeting, told the aspirants that it was called to get their commitments that they would all work together as a single body and ensure the victory of the party in all future elections irrespective of who wins the primaries.

According to her the meeting became necessary in view of the increasing number of people aspiring for different offices from the division.

She disclosed that from the register and roll call of those that signified their intention to file for different political positions so far, 38 aspirants were contesting for the eight House of Assembly seats available for the division, while 19 people have already signified interest to vie for its four House of Representatives seats for the division.

She said: “There should be no do or die or I must win at all costs, there should be no defection from our division, we are the ruling party and all of you must work together for the progress of the party.

We have given our mandates to the governor to re-contest and I am so happy nobody has come out to say he is willing to contest for the position of governorship, else we would have contradicted our earlier position that we as a people would support the governor for the second term ticket, having performed wonderfully well in the first tenure of his administration.”

Oluwa explained that the meeting was organised to bring them together, and drum it in their ears that irrespective of who eventually emerges as winner after the primary elections, for the party supremacy is sacrosanct, urging all aspirants to work together as one and ensure the APC’s victory in all elections.

He, however, warned that the party would not condone any act of sabotage by any aspirant, adding that it was regretful that the state lost about seven seats in the federal and state House of Assembly in the 2015 elections due to lack of cohesion and cooperation among the aspirants after the primaries.

The APC divisional leader assured all the aspirants that there would be a level playing ground for all of them, as the national working committee would soon come out with modalities for the primary elections in other states.

He promised that whatever model employed by the NWC, all the aspirants would be given equal treatment.

“If the NWC of the party recommends open and direct primary as the model for selecting our candidates just like it was done recently in Osun State, then we will adopt that strategy and ensure fair play for all the aspirants, I want you to close ranks and ensure that those who may lose in the primary elections work together with those that win and ensure their success at the end.

The supremacy of the party is very sacrosanct and cannot be compromised,” Oluwa said.