Lagos council poll: Tension in Amuwo-Odofin over emergence of two APC candidates

Tension is the word in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State following the emergence of the two candidates for the forthcoming local government elections. Incidentally, both candidates who contested the May 29 chairmanship primary election, are flaunting nomination forms from the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

After the chairmanship primary election, Hon. Dipo Oloronrinu was declared the winner by the party and was given LASIEC form to fill and return after which his name was published alongside other winners in The Nation newspaper of Friday June 4, 2021.

However, one day later, the incumbent executive chairman of the local government area, Valentine Buraimoh, who lost the primary election, was seen with a LASIEC nomination form and claimed that he had been “returned from above”. The situation has generated confusion as who is the authentic candidate of the party for the forthcoming Lagos State Council election.

Speaking while reacting to the development, supporters of Hon. Buraimoh said that the leadership of the party in Lagos State has no choice than to return him since he is the incumbent and as such has the war chest to successfully prosecute the election. They added that not returning him would spell doom for the party both in the forthcoming council poll and in the 2023 general election in Amuwo-Odofin.

“Well, popularity or no popularity, performance or no performance, returning Hon. Buraimoh is a wise decision. You don’t toy with the power of incumbency. You don’t toy with a man with money in politics one of the supporters boasted,” they said.

On their part, the supporters of Hon. Dipo Oloronrinu appealed to the leadership at the party in Lagos State to allow the will of the people at Amuwo-Odofin as was expressed during the primary election to prevail.

They claimed that Oloronrinu is the popular choice of the people of Amuwo-Odofin, adding that if he is allowed to fly the flag at the party in the council election, it would boost the chances of the party even in the 2023 general election.