The race for the successor of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), after the expiration of his tenure in 2015 has begun as politicians serving in different capacities at the federal and state levels have started showing interest.

Prominent among the aspirants are Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Senator Ganiyu Solomon, representing Lagos West Senatorial District; Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; and ex-Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire.

Other aspirants eyeing the seat include Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives; former Governor Bola Tinubu’s aide-de-camp, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal; past Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Akin Ambode and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeola Ipaye.

It was however gathered that the governorship position might be zoned to the Lagos East Senatorial Zone, bearing in mind that the incumbent governor hails from Lagos Central while his predecessor, Bola Tinubu is from Lagos West.

If the governorship slot is eventually zoned to Lagos East, as is being canvassed, the move will put paid to the governorship ambitions of Hamzat (Lagos West), Gbajabiamila (Lagos Central), Lawal (Lagos Central), Banire (Lagos West), and Solomon (Lagos West) as possible contenders, leaving Ashafa, Ambode and Ikuforiji, who is currently facing graft charges, in the race.

But in response to enquiries on contenders for the race, the state’s Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Oladele Ajomale, said the party’s leaders “are not talking about the governorship election yet,” stating that the party was yet to deliberate on such issue.”

The chairman, however, expressed strong opposition to the principle of zoning, noting that the principle “is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) formula and not ACN’s. We do not believe in such ideas. We believe in picking the best.”

He said the next governor of the state could come from any part of the state, adding, “Our responsibility is to get the best and only the best will be good for the state.”

“Wherever the candidate comes from, it does not matter. It is only those that can perform that will emerge eventually.”

“It is not about zoning. Someone who cannot perform cannot govern the state. The state is too discriminatory for that. We always want the best. The only thing the state deserves is a quality candidate.”

“We cannot choose someone who will drag the party backwards. The next governor of the state must be someone who will shatter the records of the incumbent governor.”

“When the time comes, the right candidate will emerge. I have not seen anyone who is interested yet.”

On Solomon’s declaration to contest for the position, Ajomale explained that all qualified candidates “have the right to say what he or she want. But I am in the best position to tell the truth. The party is yet to decide who will be the next governor of the state. But when the time comes, we will do that.”

 


Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, had assured the people of the volatile Yobe state that the Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed many lives and property in 2011 and 2012 will become history.

He said it would end like the Maitatsine of 1980’s in Kano and Maiduguri and the Nigerian Civil War that lasted for three years.

According him, with the fizzling out of Boko Haram insurgency in Yobe State, business activities have been restored through prayers in Mosques by the Muslim communities, as well as the support and commitments of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

Gaidam who made the assertion at the swearing–in of local government chairmen in Government House, Damaturu, the state capital, noted that the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in the state had made it difficult to conduct elections by the Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (YOSIEC).

He added that as the Boko Haram insurgency persists in the state, YOSIEC has commenced preparations for the conduct of elections into the 17 councils by May/June 2013.

He said that with the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Police’s support and commitments in protecting people’s lives and property in the state, residents are returning to their respective houses and communities to continue with their daily businesses and other social activities in Damaturu, the state capital as well Potiskum, Gashua, Gujba and Geidam that were affected by the insurgency since November 14, 2011.