“We need more voices to challenge this absurdity”, Retired General backs Ayodele Adio on Lagos LG polls
By KEMI KASUMU
“Those who say they are fighting from within cannot beat their chests at this chequered moment. Those who were screened out could go to other parties and challenge the nonchalant anomaly.”
Former Minister of Communications and prominent Lagosian, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), has reacted to a report where Ayodele Adio, Chairmanship Candidate of Youth Party (YP) for Eti-Osa Local Government Area in the forthcoming Lagos State Local Government Elections, raised a point of order against alleged plans by Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), to conduct elections into 37 LCDAs not recognized by the Constitution.
Speaking on the development when asked to give his views in a media interview conducted electronically Sunday afternoon, General Olanrewaju said, “We need more voices to challenge this absurdity.”
It will be recalled that more voices of reason including that of Ayodele Adio were directed to the state electoral umpire not to be the same creature of the law and at the same time will be the agent of ruling political class to commit infractions of the law by conducting elections into the illegal LCDAs.
Appearing on News Central Television, recently, he said, “I say this because, if indeed those 37 LCDAs are recognized by law, Honorable Jimi Benson, and Honorable Faleke who represents Ikeja constituency will not be sponsoring an amendment in the National Assembly to recognize the 37 LCDAs as legitimate local government in Lagos.”
In his reaction, Retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who is a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigeria Army, said, “If elections were to be conducted in 20 constitutionally recognised LGAs, indigenes would form 90 percentage of the contestants. With an additional 37 LCDAs, the indigenes have been schemed out of contest.
“It is obvious now that the state indigenes have lost their patrimony. I think one of the participating parties can go to court and challenge the status quo. Can’t this course of action be taken?” he asked.
According to the General, “It is unconstitutional to conduct elections in 20 constitutionally recognised LGAs and unconstitutionally recognised 37 LCDAs in Lagos State. This election will be a nullity if any of the participating parties should challenge the conduct of the election in the court. The only recognized 20 Local Governments in Lagos State are listed in the Amended 1999 Constitution.”
Challenging the indigenous Lagosians, he said, “Your state is being captured by non-indigenes and indigenes are being floored. Those who say they are fighting from within cannot beat their chests at this chequered moment. Those who were screened out could go to other parties and challenge the nonchalant anomaly.”
