2011: No automatic ticket for Fashola —AC
02 February, 2010 05:44:00 THOMAS IMONIKHE, Group News Editor and MANSUR OLADUNJOYE




[img]http://www.champion.com.ng/thumbnail.php?file=FASHOLA1_233346557.jpg&size=article_medium[/img]
Gov. Raji Fashola of Lagos State

THE Action Congress (AC) yesterday said there would be no automatic ticket for Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola in the 2011 general elections, insisting that the incumbent would slug it out with other aspirants during the party’s governorship primaries.
This is as hundreds of Lagosians yesterday stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja to protest alleged plot by the law-makers and former Governor Bola Tinubu to impeach Mr. Fashola (SAN).
The House had last Thursday set up a six-man committee to investigate alleged financial impropriety leveled against Fashola’s administration by a group, “The True Face of Lagos.”


However, chairman of the AC in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale, blamed the allegations on mischief makers who were bent on distracting Fashola’s administration ahead of 2011 governorship election.
In an interview with Daily Champion Ajomale however ruled out any automatic ticket for Governor Fashola in the forthcoming poll?
Asked if Fashola would get the party’s ticket for a second term in office, he said: “It is very possible because we are democratic. You can’t just impose anybody on the members of the party. We will go through the primaries and if he emerges fine…
“Let us go through the process of primaries but I believe with the record he has now, I don’t think he will have any problem in scaling through the primaries.”
At yesterday’s rally, the protesters booed the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Ajomale for allegedly aiding the plot to impeach Fashola. They chided members of the State Assembly, urging them to purge themselves before accusing the governor.
The coalition of many groups, including the Lovers of Raji Fashola (LORAF), the Coalition of Youths for Good Governance and the Movement for Good Governance led by their leaders to Alausa to warn the legislators against any move that would jeopardize the governor’s return ticket, arguing that since the creation of the state, saying “Lagosians have never had it this good.”


Armed with placards with various inscriptions, including “Good governance must be sustained”, “Fashola carry go, don’t destroy the gains of continuity”, Solidarity for Achiever-Eko o ni baje;” “We say no to intimidation in Lagos; We know, who are Lagosians”, “Enough is Enough”, “Best man must continue and we have seen the scripts of the master being played”.
The protesters arrived the assembly complex amid heavy presence of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), regular policemen and mobile policemen at about 11 am, where they were jointly addressed by Ikuforiji and Ajomale.
Addressing the irate Lagosians, Ikuforiji said the House has the constitutional right and duty to probe the governor, adding that the lawmakers were merely performing their constitutional duties.
Corroborating the Speaker, Ajomale pacified the demonstrators to maintain their calm, telling them to correct their impression of Tinubu as an Osun indigene, who must go back to his state to salvage it. “We are all Lagosians”, they said. This generated hot response from the crowd, who shouted “No! No! No! not all of us are Lagosians.”



At this point, Ikuforiji held the AC Chairman and went back to the complex, the action which elicited another shout of “Ole, ole, ole (Thieves! Thieves! Thieves!)
One of the leaders of the protesters, Bolaji Osinowo, who told reporters that the essence of the rally was to get the record straight, “We don’t want anything to alter good governance now,” asking, “What did Tinubu do in his whole eight years as a governor.”
Also, the group through Babatunde Awobajo told Journalists that, “So many governors have been coming and going before Fashola, but none has performed this much like Fashola. Though, Tinubu brought him, I can assure you that he cannot remove him.”
Representing Igbos in the state, Prince Tony Eze (a businessman) said his people joined the protest to say no to the devil, “Fashola should not be distracted because he is doing wonders for many governors to emulate; he should be allowed to have another shot at governance,” he urged.
At the Lagos State House of Assembly, the protesters, who were addressed by Fashola, charged members of the state executive council to examine themselves and be loyal to Fashola, saying, “E ye arayin wo.”



Bishop Abiodun Olugbenro of LORAF expressed gratitude to the governor for using Fashola to do wonderful works in the state, alleging that the House set up a kangaroo committee to investigate Fashola, declaring, “We are solidly behind the governor.”
Olufemi Odusanya, who claimed to represent voters in Ikorodu sought an end to the excesses of the lawmakers, “Before it snowballed into another thing because we don’t want anybody to come and disrupt Lagos state, saying “no more baba so pe (no more godfatherism)
Reacting, Fashola said he was not expecting such solidarity, adding that the gathering was uncalled for. He pleaded for their continued support and solidarity, saying, “Let us understand that the members of the assembly were elected by you, the same way you elected me, I assure you that they are also as concerned as you and they would act in your interest.”

http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=27259

[img]http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/cartoons/cart01/020210[/img]

It surely looks like the cinema is coming to a closure - How sad for Lagos - Evil wants to prevail again

Principal members of Lagos Assembly who may decide Fashola’s fate
TUESDAY, 02 FEBRUARY 2010 01:27 MAX AMUCHIE & JOSHUA BASSEY  

Despite public denials of the war of attrition between Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola and his godfather, former governor, Bola Tinubu, the stage appears set for what may well mean commencement of impeachment proceedings against Fashola.

In two years Fashola has captured the imagination of Lagos residents and has pointed the way for purposeful delivery of democracy dividends through visionary leadership.

Although speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, yesterday also denied any plan by the House to impeach Governor Fashola, he was quick to add that the pro-Fashola protest by Coalition of Youths for Good Governance (CYGG) not- withstanding, the lawmakers would continue with their ongoing probe and investigations into allegations of financial impropriety levelled against the governor by a group which called itself “New Face of Lagos”. Part of the allegation is that the governor bribed each member of the state House of Assembly with N20 million to cover up several of his “misdemeanours”.

Interestingly, almost all members of the House including the entire House leadership are people who owe their positions to Tinubu. They owe allegiance to him and may readily do his biding, even as there is loud public outcry against the actions being taken against Fashola.

As debate on this rages and the probe panel set for frantic investigations, the following principal members of the House may have strong inputs in determining what happens next. They include: •Speaker: Adeyemi Ikuforiji- representing Epe 2 constituency.

•Deputy Speaker: Bola Badmus-Olujobi- representing Amuwo-Odofin constituency 2 •Majority Leader: Kolawole Taiwo-representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun constituency 1 •Minority Leader: Hodewu Avosah- representing Badagry constituency 2 •Chief Whip: Abdurrazaq Balogun-representing Surulere constituency 2. He is also head of the probe panel •Deputy Majority Leader: Ajibayo Adeyeye-representing Kosofe constituency 2 •Deputy Chief Whip: Lola Fibisola Akande-representing Ikeja constituency 2 Apart from the leaders of the House, there are other prominent and outspoken members whose deliberations will determine the direction the House will take as it considers the allegations levelled against Fashola. They include: Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet: Chairman, House committee on science and technology; representing Oshodi/Isolo II. She is an average contributor to issues and debates in the house.
Fashola


Rotimi Emmanuel Olowo: Chairman, House committee on tourism and inter-governmental relations; who represents Somolu I. He is another brilliant member of the House who makes intelligent contributions to debates and issues. Lateef Rotimi Abiru: Chairman, House committee on water front infrastructure development; representing Somolu II. His constructive criticism of committee reports on the floor of the House has also stood him out. Kabir Lawal: Chairman, House committee on human rights and public petitions; represents Surulere I. He is also a major contributor to issues and debates on the floor of the House. Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo: Chairman, committee on lands, represents Kosofe I. He is a powerful and influential member of the House.

Wahab Alawiye-King: Chairman, committee on education, represent Lagos Island. He is a major contributor to issues and debates on the floor of the House.

Adekunle Ayoola Ahmed: Chairman, House committee on Central Business District, represent Lagos Island II. He is one of the average contributors to issues and debates on the floor on the House. He is well known for his flashy appearance. Adekunle Ademoye: Chairman, House committee on housing, represents Lagos Mainland I. He is another average contributor to issues and debates on the floor of the House.

Olarenwaju Moshood Oshun: Chairman, House committee on transportation, represents Lagos Mainland II. He is seen as one of the intelligent contributors to issues and debates on the floor. Bolaji Yusuf Ayinla: Chairman, House committee on house services, represents Mushin II. He is an average contributor to issues on the floor. Whenever he stands up to speak, he picks his words, giving the impression that he does a lot of rehearsal before coming to the floor of the house.

Saheed Taiwo Adio: Chairman, committee on public account (state). He represents Ojo I. He hardly contributes to issues in the House and not very fluent in speaking. Yisa Abayomi Sadiq: Chairman, committee on chieftaincy; represents Ojo II. He is an average contributor to issues and debates on the floor of the House.

Babatunde Lawrence Ayeni: Chairman, House committee on youth, sports and social developments; represents Oshodi/ Isolo I. He contributes little to issues and debates on the floor of the house. One thing that stands him out whenever he speaks the English language is his Ijesha accent.

http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8065:principal-members-of-lagos-assembly-who-may-decide-fasholas-fate-&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

Can't find babapupa's name here. Oh, I remember now that Tinubu never trusted him to be loyal and how wrong was he.