By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Ifeanyi Okolie
LAGOS— Protesters in Lagos, yesterday, defied an early morning downpour to protest nominations by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, for the forthcoming local government elections.

Yesterday’s demonstrations centred on Shomolu which followed earlier protests in Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Ejigbo, Oriade, Isolo, Lagos Island and at the state party secretariat at Ogba.

The protests were inspired by criticisms that majority of the candidates nominated by the party for chairmanship and councilor positions in the council polls scheduled for October 22 were incumbents who were imposed.

The demonstrations also followed several petitions by aggrieved aspirants and their supporters and stakeholders that some of the party’s candidates performed very poorly and did not deserve a second term in office.

The party conducted a central primary two weeks ago at the party’s State Secretariat at Acme Road, Ogba. However, two days to the primary elections, the Elders Council of the party had at a meeting in the residence of a revered senior figure in the party resolved that all incumbents who performed creditably should be returned to office for a second term.

The resolution of the elders’ council held sway after the party primaries as some of the incumbents who were beaten were subsequently enlisted in the party’s nomination list released penultimate Monday.

Only three of the party’s incumbent chairmen were dropped in the list. Those dropped were chairmen of Surulere, the home base of Governor Babatunde Fashola; Agbado-Oke-odo and Ifako/Ijaye.

The publicity secretary of the state chapter of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, however, rebuffed any schism in the party saying yesterday that the demonstrations were part of the democratic process. He nevertheless insisted that the party has the right to reward those who have worked hard for it and have been faithful to its philosophy.

Yesterday’s protest in Somolu was against the nomination of the incumbent Chairman of the council, Mr Gbolahan Bagostowe for a second term.

The protesters carried different placards and sang as they marched through some streets in the area and vowed not to allow the chairman to return to office.

The leader of the protesters, Miss Amen Ehis, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Bagostowe had done virtually nothing during his tenure, which was ending.

She said that the chairman only made claims to executing some projects in the media but that such projects never existed.

“There are no good roads, no functional health centres and no boreholes while market women face a lot of problems in the hands of local government staff, who demand so much from the traders,” she said.

Bagostowe, however, told NAN that the protest was sponsored by people who wanted to mar his image ahead of the polls.

He said that he had demonstrated his stewardship and had projects to show for it and as such, he had won the confidence of his party for a second term bid.

“I have demonstrated my stewardship with many projects that I have done within the last three years in office and my party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has endorsed my candidature.

“The party hierarchy said that those first timers that performed should be allowed to contest for the second term,” Bagostowe said.

He said that he built and reconstructed nine primary schools out of the 18 in the local government area, including, Agunbiade Primary School, Olaoluwa Primary School and Baptist Primary School.

Bagostowe said that he also built a public health centre in the Akoka area, which offered 24 hours service, while two others were nearing completion in other areas of the local government.

He said that he also built boreholes and tarred roads in many areas contrary to the claims of the protesters.

Opponents of some of the nominated incumbents have also sought to rake up allegations of irregularities in the qualification of some of the nominees. Petitions have been directed to the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national legal adviser of the party, Muiz Banire both of whom are from Lagos State and wield great influence in the party.

Stakeholder under the aegis of Concerned Citizens and Residents of Ojo LGA and Otto Awori Local Council Development Area in their own petition directed to Tinubu raised multiple allegations against the chairmen, Hon. Adeyinka Durosinmi and Hon Kayode Bolaji.

Reacting to the renewed protests, Mr. Igbokwe told Vanguard yesterday:

“It is nothing to worry about, the little political disagreement in Somolu LGA, considering the fact that it is just one out of the 20 LGA and 37 Local Council Development Area, LCDAs.

”ACN will continue to insist that noise, disagreements and protests are part of democratic process. Democracy is a noisy process and in the midst of all these noises you achieve consensus.

“The problem becomes a little bit cumbersome when you have to manage about 20 eminently qualified persons jostling for one position. But do not forget that sometimes you bow to political solution in resolving democratic debacle.

“Sometimes, the leadership is permitted to reward committed foot soldiers that have laboured through thick and thin to promote and project the philosophy of the party.”

It will be recalled that residents of Isolo Local Government Area last week staged a similar protest against the incumbent council boss in the area. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC is to commence the validation of candidates submitted to it from today to October 11.



Substitution of candidates is to take place not later than October 12 and validation of the substituted candidates is to take place between October 13 and 14 before the publication of the final list of candidates on October 15.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP which has boycotted all the local government elections conducted under the ACN government in Lagos State is preparing to participate in the forthcoming polls, the first time the party would be fielding candidates for local government councils since after the 1998 polls.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/lagos-lg-polls-acn-members-protest-alleged-imposition-of-candidates/

is there still democracy in Lagos ?

It seems inevitable that blood is going to flow in these elections. The other day, aggrieved ACN people actually went as far as invoking evil spirits at Isolo.
Why should nepotism and corruption always take over everything we do in 9ja?

one thing i fail to understand is why are candidates imposed on people ?

It is not by force that ACN must win everything in Lagos

A one party state is never good IMO

alj_harem:

is there still democracy in Lagos ?

What do you really know about politics and democracy?

Political parties are private entities and they run their party according to their stated constitution and this is done in many established democracies around the world including England.

The party decides who is strong enough to go against the opposition and win. Parties are about winning elections, not losing. If you don't like your party and their ways, why fight? It's a free country so go join another party. It's not by force to be part of the ACN.