…says majority’s votes must count
Following different crises that marred All Progressives Congress ward congresses across Lagos State, the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has waded in, to save the state’s chapter of the party from internal implosion.
One of the cases reportedly resolved by Tinubu was that of Mrs Ola Williams, popularly known as Iron Lady, a contender to the position of Women Leader in Ward C1 of Lagos Island, who was said to have been betrayed after a resolution had been reached that she was to be offered the position.
Williams, for protesting the play of Judas, was reportedly assaulted by persons in military uniform, on the prompting of thugs from rival groups.
MAJORITY MUST DECIDE, SAYS TINUBU
Tinubu had recently, at the state party secretariat in Lagos, instructed members at ward level that those who had spent eight years and above should not re-contest for their positions.
But the congresses that were expected to bring in new executive members at the ward level resulted in series of crises and even skirmishes, where members sustained varying injuries.
A source close to the former Lagos State governor said aggrieved members of the party who had been manipulated in the congresses soon after, reached out to Tinubu who started reaching out to the party leaders in the state to immediately restore the true party winners with immediate effect.
“Asiwaju had instructed the leaders of the party to immediately follow the majority decision. For instance, after the protest by some of the party members from Lagos Island Local Government to his house on Saturday, he called their leadership to give in to the voice of the majority in order to avert internal wranglings. He also proposed to meet leaders across the state.
WARD C1 CRISIS
Meanwhile, the congress held by the Lagos Island Ward C1 went awry as members of the party at the ward level disagreed on existing preliminary arrangements to elect its principal officers.
This came following a heated friction that ensued between some of the key players within the warring factions.
Mrs Williams, who is one of the party stalwarts and member of Igba Laani faction, along with some of her supporters, was physically assaulted by soldiers allegedly contracted by opposition factions to provide security at the congress.
According to a source, four factions within the ward: the Igba Laani group, Atari Ajanaku, Atayese and Lukman Ajose group-also known as Toluwalase, had earlier met to choose the ward executive officers but the meeting was deadlock as members could not reach an agreement.
Following the impasse, a congress was resolved to be held to elect the executive members. This, however, did not turn out well following a mix-up in one of the positions.
The Woman Leader position which was earmarked for the Igba Laani group to be occupied by Mrs. Williams was thus given to one Ms. Yussuf Rukayat.
This situation led to a disapproval of the consensus arrangement, as Mrs Williams called for total nullification of all the approvals she and her supporters had earlier made.
“We don’t want this; this is a breach of trust and agreement,” Mrs Williams shouted with her supporters in unison, adding, “The Woman Leader position is for Igba Laani and I am the one that was agreed upon, to occupy that position. We will not accept the arrangement any longer because the agreement has been breached.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission representative at the congress, Mr. Habeeb Onikoyi, who had earlier reeled out the names of the positions and their officers to the gathering, said his announcement of the names on the list was no longer valid.
“There has been a compromise in the arrangement; it is no longer valid because the agreement has been breached, so the outcome is inconclusive,” Onikoyi said.
Some of the names and positions include: chairman, Alh Shina Onilegbale; Olarewaju Lucas, vice chairman; Olawale Onibudo, general secretary; Ganiyu Adewale, legal adviser; Akiya Kabir, publicity secretary; Ismaila Oyeleke, youth leader; Yussuf Rukayat, woman leader, and Aleshiloye Wasiu, welfare officer.
Others are: Adedeji Babatunde, organising secretary; Arolu Lukma, auditor; Rahamon Kudirat, financial secretary; Owolabi Jinadu, treasurer, amongst others.
The Igba Laani group approved all the positions and their officers, except the post of Woman Leader, a development that left the congress inconclusive.
Meanwhile, after further deliberations at the local government secretariat to resolve the issue, the Igba Laani group who was not satisfied with the development, headed to the residence of the national leader, Asiwaju Tinubu to express its position.
The group’s leader, Mrs Williams, who felt betrayed and cheated, lamented that the other factions were oppressing her
group.
HOW TINUBU PLACATED WILLIAMS
Williams, recalling how she was physically abused by alleged military officers, along with some members of her group at the congress venue, urged Tinubu to intervene in the matter. The group had massed to Tinubu’s Bourdillion, Ikoyi residence in Lagos.
A source at the outing told our correspondent that Tinubu, who was moved by the plight of the woman, quoted the APC National Leader as saying, “In all my life, I have never condoned injustice and I will not allow this to slip by; so Mrs. Williams should be given the position of Woman Leader which she deserves by party
consensus.
Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that following the call on Tinubu, the national leader directed that the Woman Leader position should be given to Williams.
Elated, Mrs. Williams said, “Asiwaju has spoken; he said the position should be given to me; our leader has given us justice and I am
grateful.”
