The hope of Lagos State Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Tunde Balogun, retaining his seat at the party’s State Congress on Saturday, October 16 has been dashed.
Balogun is expected to be replaced by former Commissioner for Rural Development in Lagos State, Pastor Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi, whose candidature has been confirmed by critical stakeholders in the party.
Other incumbent state executives, who will not return based on information gathered by The Star are: Secretary, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi; Vice Chairman (Lagos West), Chief Funso Ologunde and Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo, among others.
The Star gathered from multiple sources that apart from Balogun, Ogunyemi, Ologunde and Enilolobo, about five members of the current executives will not return base on the zoning and reshuffle carried out by the party’s apex leadership body, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC).
Balogun and others were dropped during the GAC meeting held on Tuesday at the Lagos House, Marina.
The meeting presided over by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, took some important decisions on the State Congress as well as positioning the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
The GAC meeting reviewed the development in Lagos APC and collectively decided to sack Balogun, who is a member of the GAC and replace him with Ojelabi.
The Star learnt that Ojelabi, who is from Ojo in Badagry division of Lagos West Senatorial District, was picked to replace Balogun, who is from Apapa in Lagos Central Senatorial District, based on his wealth of experience, political maturity and managerial skills.
Ojelabi served as Chairman of Ojo Local Government in 1997, Executive Secretary and later Chairman of Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area; Member, House of Representatives, representing Ojo Federal Constituency between 2007 and 2011; and Commissioner for Rural Development between 2011 and 2015.
It was gathered that Balogun was denied return ticket because of the roles he played during the last APC chairmanship and councillorship primaries.
The primary election was marred with imposition of candidates in some wards and local governments. There were also calls for his removal by different groups within the APC.
Hence, Balogun was dropped to pacify aggrieved APC chieftains.
The nomination of Ojelabi tactically robbed the incumbent Secretary, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi from retaining his seat because he also hails from Ojo and Badagry division of the state.
Ologunde, Enilolobo and some of the incumbent State Working Committee members who have spent two to three terms in office in one or different capacities have also been ruled out of the Saturday Congress.
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