Crime
Alimosho APC crisis deepens as group accuses Adefulire of undermining peace process
Efforts to broker peace and ensure an harmonious working relationship, between the All Progressives Congress, APC, factions in Alimosho federal constituency of Lagos State suffered a temporary setback as a group has accused a former Deputy Governor of the State, now Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, HE Adejoke Orelope Adefulire of undermining the peace process in the area.
It was alleged that she walked out of the peace building meeting convened by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzart, with Lagos APC State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi and others in attendance.
Orelope Adefulire became annoyed as she failed to offer superior arguments during negotiations on power sharing agreement that saw her faction the Alimosho APC Veterans and Liberation Movement Coalition with 45 percent and Alimosho APC Mainstream having 55 percent.
The bone of contention was sharing of party executive positions, though she agreed to the 55: 45 ratio, her grouse was that her faction is entitled to three Ward Chairmen slots in her home Alimosho LGA, and she wanted four.
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She also desired to choose ward chairmanship slots first before the Alimosho APC Mainstream led by Alhaji Abdullahi Ayinde Enilolobo.
The intervention and admonition of the Deputy Governor that all factions should adhere to the letters and spirit of the power sharing formula, angered Orelope Adefulire who stood up and walked out of the meeting.
Embarrassed; members of her team profusely apologized to the Deputy Governor, and said she must be tired of negotiations. They stayed behind to complete the negotiations, before they left to brief her of the final outcomes of the meeting at her Ikoyi Lagos residence.
Mr Ikudaisi Joseph member of Alimosho APC said Orelope Adefulire is a closet politician, who will not desire unity because she and her followers are undeservedly profiting from the carefully orchestrated divisions in the constituency.
“I recall she once headed Alimosho APC leadership, but she always hosted meetings at Excellence Hotel in Ogba, Ikeja on the excuse that she cannot stand party members conducting meetings anytime in the constituency. Orelope Adefulire has never attended any constituency meeting.
“She was able to snatch the Alimosho State House of Assembly ticket from the winner of the primary Barr Rotimi Ogunwuyi and handed the ticket to her biological brother Luqmon Orelope, because of the sustained division in the constituency.
“Her loyalists keep boasting that as long as the Deputy Governor, State Chairman and sizeable members of the Lagos APC Governor’s Advisory Council GAC are members of Justice Forum, Adejoke Orelope Adefulire will continue to have her way and wishes met in Alimosho federal constituency.”
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Alhaji Olatilewa Agoro an APC member in Igando Ikotun LCDA offered that “Peace is achievable in Alimosho federal constituency, Alimosho is the constituency with the highest numbers of voters in Lagos State, with leadership the most loyal to Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu causes over the years.
“However some disgruntled Alimosho politicians have sought help from outsiders and this is the beginning of problems in the constituency. Lagos State Speaker Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa is one of those fueling the divisive and subversive activities of chieftains of Alimosho APC Liberation Movement in particular.
Oladunni Giwa from Agbado Oke Odo in her submission said, the time for Alimosho APC Mainstream to be kicked out of power and reckoning is now.
“I acknowledge that Alimosho APC Mainstream are in the majority especially having the six council chairmen in their camp, majority of members, past and serving councillors, supervisors, senior special assistants and committee members among others, but our resolve is to decimate the faction with the support of the Justice Forum leaders statewide, and to continue to fuel the disagreement between Rauf Aregbesola and Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
Responding to the clandestine activities of the Alimosho APC Third Force, Busari Ojo said Hon Femi Adebanjo (Eyes Open) defected from Alimosho APC Mainstream because he did not got their backing for his third term agenda, while Hon Bisi Yusuf fell out because his protégé Hon Luqmon Agbaje failed to secure the chairmanship ticket of Ayobo Ipaja LCDA. These guys are dyed in the wool leaders of Alimosho APC Mainstream also known as The G-18. The alliance with Adejoke Orelope Adefulire is merely for relevance and political optics.