The Vice Chairman-elect for Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area in the just concluded local government elections in Lagos State, Akinyemi Afeez Akintunde, has cried out over attempts by some party leaders in the council area to substitute his name for another person, reports The Gazelle News.com.
Thus, Akintunde has forwarded a petition to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) via his lawyers: Nixon & Ace Legal Practitioners. The letter titled, ‘Re: Igando-Ikotun Vice Chairman Elect, was signed by Adebayo Orekoya, esq.
The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC); the Chairman of the state APC Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Babatunde Balogun; the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Honourable Lanre Ogunyemi; and the Legal Adviser for the Caretaker Committee, Barrister Ademola Sadiq were all sent copies of the letter.
In the letter, Akinyemi explained via his lawyer that he emerged the Vice Chairmanship candidate of the party for Igando-Ikotun LCDA after the party primaries which took place on Saturday, 29 May, 2021.
His name was published alongside with the Chairmanship candidate of the party for the council, Lasisi Akinsanya in the Nation newspaper of Friday, 4 June, 2021 and all social media handles of the party.
He successfully went through screening at both the party secretariat and LASIEC and thus went into the local government elections of Saturday, 24 July, 2021 as the authentic Vice Chairmanship candidate of APC for Igando-Ikotun LCDA, holding a joint ticket with Lasisi Akinsanya.
Akinyemi however expressed surprise that after the elections have been concluded and they have been announced winners for Igando-Ikotun LCDA, he was reliably informed that attempts were being made by some party leaders in the council area to substitute him with another person named Mojisola Badmus.
Akinyemi informed LASIEC that he should be recognised as the Vice Chairman-elect of Igando-Ikotun LCDA and subsequently should be issued with Certificate of Return.
He concluded by noting that he hope to get justice from LASIEC, failure to which he is ready to seek legal redress to claim his mandate.
The Gazelle News.com investigation revealed that indeed Akinyemi was the original running mate to Akinsanya with his name published alongside with the Chairman-elect in the Nation newspaper of Friday, 4 June, 2021.
However, the chairmanship ticket of the LCDA became a tug of war between Akinsanya and Ahmed Oseni who was touted to be the candidate until Akinsanya was handed over the party’s flag as its flag bearer by the state Governor on Sunday, 18 July, 2021 at the party’s state secretariat in Ikeja.
Thus, another battle commenced over the vice chairmanship slot with some leaders pushing for the replacement of Akinyemi with Mojisola Badmus who was the running mate to Oseni who eventually lost out in the battle for the chairmanship slot.
But Akinyemi remained constant like a Northern star. His name remained glued to Akinsanya like leech.
That was why it was only Igando-Ikotun candidate that didn’t come with his running mate when the flags were being handed over by Sanwo-Olu.
So, for Igando-Ikotun LCDA, it seems the battle has just begun.
Stay tune to The Gazelle News.com for update on this saga.
