“Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold. Turning and turning in the widening gyre. The falcon cannot hear the falconer. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the earth.”


The above quotation is from the novel written by literary giant, Prof. Chinua Achebe, Things fall apart. It, perhaps, aptly captures the shenanigan and scheming that has pervaded the seat of power in Lagos State. And the war of attrition that will shake the foundation of Lagos State politics in 2011 has started in earnest. It is going to be a straight fight between the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and his overbearing godfather and predecessor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is spoiling for a war over contract and political patronages.

What started as a minor disagreement between the duo over the award of contracts to the companies that Tinubu has substantial interest in or those of his cronies has snowballed into a battle royale.

Sources said that while Fashola wanted to follow due process in the award of the contracts, his godfather would not take that “nonsense.” On many occasions, Tinubu reportedly told the governor point blank that he spent billions to install him and that he must recoup the investment.

When it became obvious that Fashola was not the “robot” they thought he would be, some of the commissioners who are stooges of Tinubu, started undermining him. It became the norm for them to come to the weekly State Executive Council (SEC) meeting after the governor must have been seated, a trend that runs contrary to the order of protocol. Infuriated by this ugly trend, the governor was said to have locked out the Commissioner for Environment, Muiz Banire, for coming late to one of such meetings without prior notice.

When it dawned on Tinubu that his godson had weaned himself from his apron string and may not take nonsense from anybody, sources said, the battle shifted to the state House of Assembly where 35 members were relied upon to checkmate the governor and probably go for his jugular, if need be. But to his traducers’ amazement, Fashola’s seeming performance appeared to have endeared him to all and sundry. Beside the fact that the law provides that anything the lawmakers deem “gross misconduct” could not be faulted, they were afraid of swimming against the tide by moving against the governor whom they considered sufficiently popular to attract public sympathy.

Part of the intrigues, it was gathered, led to the fall of Funmi Tejuoso-Smith from her exalted position as the deputy speaker of the House of Assembly and the reprisal attack from her. Tejuoso-Smith engaged her successor, Bola Badmus Olujobi, in a show of shame within the Assembly complex after the presentation of the 2010 budget by Fashola two weeks ago. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the unassuming Speaker of the House, had passed comments that were considered out of place concerning Fashola. Ikuforiji warned Fashola to beware of sycophants. Sources said the remarks by the Speaker, who is seen as the “heir apparent or khalifa,” was to spite the governor. Indeed, his comments drew a loud ovation from Tinubu and his men in the assembly chamber.

Ikuforiji, in a bid to deal with Fashola, who has no right of reply after the budget presentation, said, “They will flatter you to no end. They will like to isolate you from your roots. They will want you to believe that your administration is the first in the world to hit the ground running and achieve like no one else. But like Danny K. Davies (Jnr), a United States Congressman told us at the convention of Eko Club International last month in Chicago and I quote: “Flattery is like a good perfume, it is to be smelt, not to be swallowed. You will be judged by the amount of resources at your disposal and the prevailing conditions and environment under which your government operated and what you make of those resources.”

Town hall meeting! What Is Ikuforiji up to?
The recent town hall meeting embarked upon by the Lagos State House of Assembly has continued to generate controversy and is already causing disaffection in the state. This stems from the innuendos that the arrowhead of the parley, Ikuforiji, has been accused by a section of the ruling party in the state, the Action Congress (AC), of using the forum to gain more followers and sensitise the people ahead of his governorship ambition in 2011. But before the recent tour, there were insinuations last year when the Speaker put together a micro credit scheme for his supporters in his Epe constituent that he was up to something.

The recent town hall meeting, which attracted a large number of the party’s stalwarts and Tinubu, was described as a defining moment in the ambition of Ikuforiji to govern the state. He was said to have come off with the impression that the governorship ticket was up for grabs despite the power of incumbency that Fashola has and should enjoy. At the meeting, Tinubu, who was alleged to be grooming Adeyemi in case Fashola reneged on their agreement before he was chosen as the AC candidate in 2007, was infuriated that party supporters were hailing the governor who was not at the forum. Tinubu was quoted to have said that he coined the saying, Eko o ni baje, that has now become Fashola’s slogan, threatening to change it if he so desired. He reportedly said these in reaction to the decision of some party members who shouted the slogan in appreciation of Fashola’s achievements in the state. That incident, analysts believe, clearly sent out the message that Tinubu, who is seen as the political godfather of the AC in Lagos State politics, may have found a worthy son in Ikuforiji.
Besides, there is the other angle to the development in Lagos State. That is the fact that Tinubu has an unwritten political arrangement for Ikuforiji to contest in 2011 as a payback for passing the pension bill that makes the former governor to be on the same pedestal in terms of salary and allowances with the incumbent. Though he is not entitled to security votes, but sources within the party said that the N2.1 billion monthly commission paid to his consulting firm, Alphabeta, is well over the governor’s security vote.

Ikuforiji on his own seems to be telling people that he might join the governorship race sooner than later. At the town hall meeting held at Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area recently, the Speaker laid it bare. Apparently reacting to those who have faulted his parley that it was meant to shore up his popularity in the state, Ikuforiji said that he is unmindful of those saying that the town hall meeting was a 2011 agenda. He said, “I will continue with the tour irrespective of what people say and we are not unmindful of those who are saying that it was part of 2011 governorship campaign.”

But a source said, “If there was nothing to it, why is the town hall meeting being held in all the 20 local government councils? This should have been held in the three senatorial districts or better still the five divisions that make up Lagos instead of having it in all the 20 constituents. The situation is compounded by the fact that the recent statement credited to Tinubu after the Ibeju-Lekki rerun election has also exposed him to attack by those who felt he should have known when silence is golden. What did he want to achieve by saying that the PDP (the Peoples Democratic Party) won fair and square? Was he trying to placate (President Umaru) Yar’Adua who many say is angry with him? Indeed, the timing of that statement was said to have infuriated many who had thought that the former governor has let them down.”

The import of the town hall meeting was not lost on Fashola who confided in some of his loyalists that his predecessor could not have allowed such under any guise. To show his disdain for the tour, the governor put together a one-day economic summit to feel the pulse of Lagosians.

Again, the statement credited to Tinubu last year during the local government election was instructive. At the stakeholders meeting convened to reconcile some aggrieved aspirants, Tinubu told the bewildered crowd of party supporters that Fashola was not a card carrying member of the AC when he made him the governor. The party stalwarts, who were then opposed to the emergence of Demola Doherty as the chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area, were forced to eat the humble pie. Today, Doherty is the chairman. He won without going through the primaries, courtesy of the godfather. This has also heightened tension in the AC that there may be surprises in the offing as the 2011 general election draws near.

Tinubu’s confirmation about the cold war
At last, Tinubu had confirmed the obvious that indeed all is not well between him and Fashola. Although Tinubu had, some months ago, as a preemptive strike, paid Fashola a courtesy visit at the State House in Ikeja where he debunked the rumour making the rounds that some contractual agreement in the state had caused a bad blood between them. He attributed the rumoured crisis to the PDP that he accused of planning to take over the state at all cost.

But Tinubu had hardly left the State House when another tsunami swept its first victim, Tejuoso-Smith, like a volcanic eruption. She was removed in a controversial manner. Even Ikuforiji, who was alleged to be close to tears because of the turn of events in the House, which had hitherto enjoyed good working relationship, admitted that his hands were tied.

Was it a sheer coincidence that Tejuoso-Smith was impeached the day Tinubu travelled to the United Kingdom to see his children? Informed sources within the Alausa seat of power said the treatment meted to Tejuoso-Smith was meant to send a strong signal to some people that though they may be in power but they are not in charge. This was premised on the fact that despite the alleged overbearing attitude of Tejouso-Smith over the year, her colleagues have chosen to work with her. In fact, when she went with Banire to beat up the Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Seye Oladejo, a protégé of Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon at the Acme Secretariat of the AC, the House did not sanction her for making it the laughing stock of the public as its principal officer.

Besides, sources within the state government insisted that those who are underrating Fashola in the supremacy battle with his former boss would soon know who actually holds the ace. The sources, who craved anonymity, maintained that Tejuoso-Smith was axed because of her loyalty to Banire and Tinubu and not the other way round. The source said, “What people don’t know is that Fashola may be humble but those who thought he would be a robot to do their bidding would soon know that he is a SAN with a sound mind. If it is true that Tejuoso-Smith had joined Fashola’s caucus, why then did Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola and Cardinal Omolaja Odumbaku make spirited efforts to reinstate her? At least these are known Tinubu die hard loyalists. Why did they come to beg the House to reverse itself barely 12 hours after the removal of the deputy speaker?”
Will Banire dare Fashola?
Before the resignation of Segun Ayobolu last Monday, sources further disclosed that Fashola would soon follow with the sack of some commissioners, especially those considered as Tinubu’s loyalists. It was said that this was to send the warning signal that contrary to the insinuation that he was not in charge, he actually holds the ace. To this end, some commissioners last week pledged their loyalty to Fashola and have also promised to stand by him come rain or sunshine. One of the commissioners, a former prominent member of the PDP, who is the head of a ministry that is very dear to the heart of the governor, told those who cared to listen that Tinubu’s attempt to continue dominating the politics of the state would fail.

More worrisome is the new dimension that Banire is likely to challenge Fashola. The succession plan has caused a running battle between Tinubu and Fashola. While the former governor is supporting Banire, other stakeholders in the state are of the opinion that the sitting governor is doing a good job and that there is no point changing a winning team.

Aregbesola is against Fashola’s second term
Bilesanmi Samson, the Executive President of Raji Fashola Fans Club, said that much in an interview with the Nigerian Compass recently. Samson said, “It is the people that would determine his second term. This is beyond anybody. In fact, some people are calling on him to come and be the president. If it were to be a saner clime, his performance in Lagos State with about 18 million people is enough to show that he has what it takes to govern Nigeria.”

Though Samson did not agree that the fans club is a campaign team for the governor, he said it has the governor’s blessing. He maintained that it was Aregbesola, the patron of Lovers of Raji Fashola (LORAF), who ordered that the group be disbanded when it was growing in leaps and bound. He said this was to curtail the growing popularity of the governor and make him subservient to their whims and caprices.


http://www.compassnews.net/Ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35602:the-big-fight-tinubus-men-set-to-battle-fashola&catid=655:analysis&Itemid=785

Na wa o ! Thanks for the update.

Like I'd stated before in another thread,Tinubu will lose all the respect  all forward looking lagosians have for him,if he continues with this plot.

The fact is,our parents had to wake up one day to the fact that we had become adults,its usually a very difficult time esp when they (parents) recall changing ones diapers,breastfeeding,taking one to school etc.  However,its a fact of life that we all one day will grow up. and there's a popular Yoruba saying that the child grows up to catch up with the adult.

Nigerians (and most especially Lagosians) are  increasingly getting politically concious. The days of one man calling the shots are over.

The end game as I see it is this.

1. Tinubu insists on the current destructive path and Fash wins via another party;the repercussions of which would include the end of any national aspirations of AC as a party/force. .  .outside the regular press briefings of Lai Mohammed 

2. The infighting gives PDP a chance to get into Alausa& that should be goodbye to Tinubu as a political factor in Lagos & SW.

3. Even if BAT(Bola Ahmed Tinubu) succeeds in this current misadventure,I'm more than certain that Banire or Ikuoriji will follow the same path,if they become Govs.

If any one knows Asiwaju,please help tell him he should not assume anything. . . . .and also practice the progressive democracy he preaches. . . .Awo never had an overbearing attitude to his partymen. . . .take note. . . everyone is watching you.


History is on Fash's side,few godfathers win this game in Nigeria,esp if the incumbent is performing


EKO O NI BAJE O !!!

It's Nigeria.
  Abnormality = Normality
  Insanity = Sanity.
Same Old Story. . .
Once your are in the Hot seat, you are more powerful than Your God Father'(s).
pls someone help inform Tinubu, incase he forgot.

If this continues i suggest Fash run as an independent candidate come 2011. Let him not listen to any offer from PDP as he will go from grace to grass.
I knew Tinubu is a thug but he will not succeed this time. Legocians should stand by Fash and by His grace he will come over this BS from Tinubu.

Why do Nigerians/Nigeria hate positive things.

e-legal:

“Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold. Turning and turning in the widening gyre. The falcon cannot hear the falconer. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the earth.”


The above quotation is from the novel written by literary giant, Prof. Chinua Achebe, Things fall apart.

No, it is from a poem by W.B.Yeats. Achebe borrowed the title for his book.

presido1:

If this continues i suggest Fash run as an independent candidate come 2011. Let him not listen to any offer from PDP as he will go from grace to grass.
I knew Tinubu is a thug but he will not succeed this time. Legocians should stand by Fash and by His grace he will come over this BS from Tinubu.

Why do Nigerians/Nigeria hate positive things.

Tinubu is a dirty man, Fashola is a dirty man. both came together and formed an unhealthy alliance to plunder Lagos. if Fashola was such a good leader, how would he be hanging around with this or that godfather. we need a true leader not a demagogue.

Kay 17:

Tinubu is a dirty man, Fashola is a dirty man. both came together and formed an unhealthy alliance to plunder Lagos. if Fashola was such a good leader, how would he be hanging around with this or that godfather. we need a true leader not a demagogue.

You have a point Kay17 but let us take it that Fash has repented from his political romance with Tinubu since he refused to follow his part since he become the Gov.

'Though he is not entitled to security votes, but sources within the party said that the N2.1 billion monthly commission paid to his consulting firm, Alphabeta, is well over the governor’s security vote.'

Is this true?

I sincerely dont believe the story.
The former deputy speaker came from my constituency(Ilupeju).We all know her arrogance and complete disregard for anybody.It serves her well to be impeached.
Fashola and Tinubu are both good friends and there is a lot at stake in lagos State than to allow it fall into PDP's hands.

ozalogbo:

'Though he is not entitled to security votes, but sources within the party said that the N2.1 billion monthly commission paid to his consulting firm, Alphabeta, is well over the governor’s security vote.'
Is this true?

Yes,its true. . . they are revenue consultants to the LASG. . . .dat one no do?

Kay 17:

Tinubu is a dirty man, Fashola is a dirty man. both came together and formed an unhealthy alliance to plunder Lagos. if Fashola was such a good leader, how would he be hanging around with this or that godfather. we need a true leader not a demagogue.

What planet are you coming from? This is Nigeria my friend. . . at the moment politics is being played at such 'dirty' level,until those of us dorning suit & tie, decide to get interested, which is what Fash a SAN has done. Lets support the man & like minded people against political jobbers.
Tinubu also turned against the Ijebu mafia when he had to & everyone stood by him.  He(BAT) did well by giving Lagos a good gov ^{unlike OBJ who bequeathed on us}   ,he shouldn't  screw it up with all these shenanigans  

lol another yeye story from Gbenga Daniel's newspaper.

First, they said Tinubu was grooming Ikuforiji. In another paragraph, they said Banire. Incoherent write up!

For the records, Tinubu and Fashola are still very much together.

PDP is at it again. They should forget about Lagos.

lol. Nice try,

Just a few days ago,





[img]http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/photos/2009/11/27/20091127L07.jpg
[/img]


http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/photos/2009/11/27/20091127P01.html

2 days before the pictures above,





http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/photos/2009/11/26/20091126P11.html

who owns nigeria compass? Gbenga Daniels.

enough said.

This is always expected.
Someone is installed into power and expected to carry out their plans to the letter, and if the person wanna do what is good to the people, he will have to dance out of tune and be what is best for the people and this often make the maker angry and fall out of love, let us see how this will end.

I have always regarded BAT as a smart strategist, if he tries installing anyone in Lag, he'll just be be giving PDP an inroad to rig their candidate into office so i really hope the paper belongs to OGD=lame attempt to scuttle AC

What is the EFCC waiting for?? somebody should dust up the 50 billion naira Lagos state bond that was floated and mysteriously"unfloated" by Tinubu during his tenure.For whatever reasons Yar Adua is angry with him,the EFCC should go foe Tinubu's jugular,dust up the files and keep him busy,for the sake of Lagosians,probity,accountability and justice.Infact Chicagogate should be re-opened

What nonsense from Tinubu

BRF has been a good administrator,but the time has come for him to be a good politician,HE SHOULD SACK ALL TINUBU LOYALISTS in his cabinet,whether confirmed or perceived,so they don't sabotage his chances come 2011

This link is good news in that direction;http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=161290

I guess we should be careful with the way we respond to what we read inside newspapers. Compass Newspapers has never been known to report the truth. This is a calculated attempt at misinforming as well as distabilising the polity. I think as well-meaning Nigerians we should take the news with a pinch of salt. I just checked BRF site now and still saw him and BAT at the Eid praying ground. BAT is a man of history and he knows what it means to engage in squabbles with an incumbent especially a performing one.

If Nigeria does not have a performing President (to people's expectation) at least we in Lagos are blessed with BRF who is giving leadership meaning we should be thankful that against all odds there is something to cheer about. More grease to the elbow of the governor

all other governors should learn from Fashola the way to deal with a political godfather

It would amount to an utter waste of time to comment on an incoherent piece of misinformation. However, i was drawn blithely to illusion2's wrong assertion that Awolowo never meddled in his party's affairs! Please revert back to the year 1965 and the chaos of 1966 between Awo and his hitherto godson Akintola

Till I read from a credible source as Punch, I'd forever treat this as junk from Compass as is the practice of Compass. There would obviously be frictions as occurs even in families but that was a shoddy piece of journalistic writing. First Banire, then Ikuforiji then two of them acting in tandem, even when telling a lie, you should do so coherently and without such petty errors and pieces of falsehood.

is this Tinubu-Fashola gist still current?

I hold on to my comment. 2011 is already around the corner!

@Poster,

I live in Abeokuta and was born in Lagos. I want to state categorically that the compass newspaper is a hard sell just like the grinning governor. That paper was founded by OGD and is funded with Ogun state funds. Listen COMPASS newspaper was founded essentially to steal lagos away fron the AC a la Ogun style.
In one word, the whole story is part of PDP's banditry aimed at robbing lagosians of progress.
as for Compassnews, it is trying to turn O.G.D into G.O.D. Period.

Kay 17:

Tinubu is a dirty man, Fashola is a dirty man. both came together and formed an unhealthy alliance to plunder Lagos. if Fashola was such a good leader, how would he be hanging around with this or that godfather. we need a true leader not a demagogue.

You just made a very good point that some blinds will not reason along. Those who knows better really knows that the game is beyond planting flowers.

I concur with Jerie. Compass belongs to Gbenga Daniel. Its the same paper that brought out the details of the lawmakers that swore oaths in the OGHA. They just want to destabilise Lagos for the PDP to take over.

nawa ooo. enemies of progress plenty 4 naija

Jerie:

@Poster,

I live in Abeokuta and was born in Lagos. I want to state categorically that the compass newspaper is a hard sell just like the grinning governor. That paper was founded by OGD and is funded with Ogun state funds. Listen COMPASS newspaper was founded essentially to steal lagos away fron the AC a la Ogun style.
In one word, the whole story is part of PDP's banditry aimed at robbing lagosians of progress.
as for Compassnews, it is trying to turn O.G.D into G.O.D. Period.

I knew someone was going to come up with the truth. I was also wondering the credibility and honesty of the newspaper and am glad you just opened my eyes and a lot of people's. Thanks so much bro. PDP is a confused party. I think since Ogbologbo Bode has been slammed into Kirikiri there us an urgent need for PDP to come up with another blueprint to perpetrate their usual false tales, lies and deceits. May God punish those who gave birth to these untruthful stories. People should have a heart and fear God/god even if they are free thinkers at least they should feel like humans. Haba!!

Compassnews!
LIES!

People should not be upset, whichever way it goes. This is politics. Take it anyway you want, Tinubu has made
wise choice in fishing out Fashola and we have to thank him for that. We also have to give kudos to Fashola
for keeping the faith.This is where it all ends.

When it comes to running the afffairs of Lagos state today, Fashola has to decide when and where the interests of Tinubu
clash with the interests of the people of Lagos state.

We are watching, but for me I expect that Lagosians will stand by their governor anytime any day, till he proves hem wrong,

bibiking1:

It would amount to an utter waste of time to comment on an incoherent piece of misinformation. However, i was drawn blithely to illusion2's wrong assertion that Awolowo never meddled in his party's affairs! Please revert back to the year 1965 and the chaos of 1966 between Awo and his hitherto godson Akintola

And what happened then? I never said he 'didn't meddle in party affairs',what I said was "Awo never had an overbearing attitude to his partymen"in the mould BAT is purportedly going!

The Akintola story basically boiled down to disagreements with the future direction of the party ,although thats a long,long story for another day !

For the doubting thomases,I would only say . . ."there's no smoke without fire"

Indications have emerged that last week’s resignation of former Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, was not basically due to health crisis as originally announced, thus leaving members of the State Executive Council to wonder if the health condition of Ayobolu was so critical to warrant his resignation.


THISDAY gathered that Ayobolu was compelled to resign his appointment because he “is a die-hard patriot of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose relationship with Fashola has been described as frosty, grim and hoarse.”
Both Fashola and Tinubu have however maintained a silent mood on the crisis.


THISDAY gathered that Fashola had indicated that he could no longer trust his former aide as a member of the State Executive Council because of adverse implications it might have on his political calculation for the 2011 general elections.


The governor is said to be secretly lobbying his party leaders to enable him get a re-election, even though he publicly said recently that it was premature to talk about 2011.


THISDAY learnt that Ayobolu’s problem with Fashola started before the governor was nominated as the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in 2007, a position to which Ayobolu among other Tinubu’s patriots opposed. But after his nomination, Ayobolu, like others, had no choice other than to throw his political weight behind the party’s candidate.


But given his diversified communication skills, it was gathered that Tinubu had to nominate him to be Fashola’s special adviser on information and strategy after Fashola won the 2007 gubernatorial race in Lagos state on the platform of AC, though Ayobolu did not have it good serving under Fashola .

Further investigation however shows that the former special adviser “is actually sick, but the nature of his illness does not stop him from effectively discharging his responsibilities as the information and strategy adviser to Governor Fashola.” But while addressing the council meeting last Monday, Ayobolu spoke clear and loud, suggesting that health problem is not a true reason for his resignation.

Ayobolu last week formally announced his intention to quit the Lagos State Executive Council over persistent health crisis which he said he had been battling with since 1984 when he was a student in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.