Lagos East Bye-election: APC chieftains favours late Osinowo’s son as replacement

…Opinion poll favours Ambode

As the political maneuvering to replace the late Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Sikirulai Adebayo Osinowo kicks off in earnest, some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos East District have expressed their desire to see the son of the late Senator, Dr. Tunde Osinowo elected to replace his father in the upper legislative chamber.

This is however as an opinion poll conducted on twitters by a Political Analyst and Social Commentator, Jumu’ah Abiodun see majority of respondents from Lagos East Senatorial District routing for the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwumi Ambode to fill the vacuum left behind by the late Sen. Osinowo who until his death represented the people of the district at the red chamber of the National Assembly.

The poll on the twitter handle @jumuahabiodun on Wednesday, 22nd June, 2020 found that 63% of the voters decided in favour of Ambode

Among all contenders, two-term senator, Bareehu Gbenga Ashafa and former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji had 15% votes each, while the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa scored 7%.

Jumu’ah pollsters respondents said though the question regarding Ambode, Ikuforiji, Ashafa and Dabiri-Erewa to fill the vacuum was not a bad idea, they wondered why Chief Lanre Razak or the late Senator’s son, Dr Tunde Osinowo’s names were omitted from the poll.

Majority of APC chieftains who spoke on condition of anonymity after the poll said they believe that Tunde Osinowo ought to be considered for the position.

“You have done well with your poll, though, to be realistic with you the late Senator’s son (Tunde) should be given the opportunity to represent Lagos East Senatorial District, we have seen what transpired in Osun when the late ‘Serubawon’ Senator Adeleke died,” a top APC Chieftain said.

Another APC chieftain added that, “it’s the decision of leaders of that Senatorial District, but in fairness, his son should be given the ticket to contest the bye-election.”

A top APC chieftain from Lagos Central stated: “I’m not from their Senatorial District but Ambode should be given the ticket. However, the late Senator’s son will not be a bad choice either, I trust his father’s friends and associates can support him to accomplish that.”

“Your survey was sentimentally biased against Lanre Razak. How come a survey has limited space to accommodate all contenders! Next time, do a poll that can accommodate all contenders,” a top APC chieftain who was formerly an editor of a National Daily responded via WhatsApp.

In his reaction to the party chieftains, Jumu’ah stated: “It was not deliberate neither not in any error to omit Chief Lanre Razak from the list, nonetheless, twitter poll can’t accommodate more than four names.”

On Osinowo’s son exclusion, the Social Commentator said: “It is the decision of your party members and leaders to decide on whether Osinowo’s son or not should be given the ticket, what I have done was an open poll where everybody all around the world participated.”