₦airaland Forum

Campaign posters and banners of the former Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Fola Adeola, on Wednesday flooded Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Surprised residents of the Abeokuta metropolis woke up to behold the campaign posters and banners announcing Adeola’s readiness to join the governorship race in Ogun State on the platform of the newly registered All Progressives Congress.

The development occurred barely a month after chairmen of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in the 20 local government areas of the state endorsed the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term.

But the campaign posters and banners bearing the APC logo, party slogan and the inscription: “Change 2015, Fola Adeola for Governor” were believed to be the first step by the financial guru to dabble in the politics of his home state.

The posters and banners of the running mate to the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in the 2011 presidential election, which were pasted in strategic locations of the metropolis, were prominent and conspicuous in Itoku, Isale Igbein, Ijaiye, Obantoko, Ake, Totoro, Iyana Mortuary and Lafenwa/Ayetoro Road areas.

Adeola and Ribadu contested for the Presidency on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria. The renowned banker could however not be reached by our correspondent for his comments.

But in his reaction, the State Publicity Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Sina Oduntan, said the development was a normal thing. He said everyone had the right to show interest in any elective position in the party.

He, however, described the recent action of the chairmen of the defunct ACN in the 20 local government areas of the state as “just an endorsement”, stressing that it was not a consensus reached by the whole party.

“The governorship candidate will emerge from the state congress. Whether it is unopposed or not, the recent endorsement of Amosun is different from the consensus of the party, which is going to take place.

Lagos State Government says members of the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association, operating within the Trade Fair Complex on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, are constituting a security threat to the state.

The government explained that it adopted the view as a result of the refusal of the traders to comply with the law guiding their operations.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, said this at a stakeholders meeting on Wednesday, organised by the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency.

He said despite efforts to make the operators to regularise their business, ASPANDA members had refused to deal with the government, claiming that they operate within a Federal Government territory.

Opeifa, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Sheyi Coker, added that the position was no longer valid with the recent concessioning of the complex to private investors. He urged the traders to cooperate with the government in the overriding interest of all.

Opeifa said, “The insistence of ASPANDA that they operate outside the ambit of state government gives cause for concern.

“Lagos State Government has the primary responsibility for public safety and security within its domain. So, ASPANDA position is therefore inimical to the safety and security of the millions of law-abiding residents of the state.”

The commissioner said there was need for constant communication between auto spare parts dealers and the regulatory agency considering the large concentration of vehicles in the state.

He said the government would continue to provide a conducive environment for the dealers to do business in the state.

Permanent Secretary, MVAA, Mr. Akin Hanson, said auto and spare parts dealers were strategically positioned and could play a decisive role in crime prevention.

A Kwara State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the 2011 election, Alhaji Bala Lade, on Monday said no fewer than 5,000 members of APGA, loyal to the Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okoroacha, in Kwara State had defected to the All Progressives Congress.

During a media briefing in Ilorin to announce their defection, Lade described the APC as a viable and credible platform that would salvage Nigeria from its developmental, socio-economic, political and insecurity challenges.

He said he and other 10 members of the executives of APGA had been authorised to speak on behalf of the pro-Okorocha APGA members in the state, who defected to the APC.

Other members that attended the media briefing included the state Vice-Chairman of APGA, Alhaji Taye Abdulrasheed;the party’s former Kwara South Federal Constituency candidate for the House of Representatives, Olabode Obaoye; a former candidate of Irepodun State Constituency for the Kwara State House of Assembly, Muhammed Abubakar; another ex-candidate, House of Representatives (Kwara Central), Sikiru Ajinde; State Secretary, Olejide Adisa; Treasurer, Alaka Abubakar; ex-APGA member in Ilorin, Abdulrazaq Munir; a candidate for Kwara State House of Assembly, Ilorin North West, Wasiu Yahanya; State Youth Leader, Tajudeen Magaji; and Chief Whip, Alfa Kawu.

Lade said, “The numerical strength of a group of pro-Okorocha APGA in Kwara State embracing this merging process of APC, including all the Ndigbos that believe in the struggle, the entire APGA members loyal to Okorocha in the 16 LGs numerically should not be less than 5,000.”