Plot against Eshilokun’s Bid for Lagos Speakership Thickens

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly may have commenced moves to work against any attempt to foist a former Local Government Council chairman, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, on them as the House commences its new session in June this year.

Currently, some of these lawmakers have been holding separate meetings, even in Abuja where they are currently holding a one-week induction programme, to come up with the best ways to frustrate what is believed to be a plot by some individuals allegedly close to the party leadership to push Eshilokun up for the position.

The lawmakers, some of whom are also current members of the House, are said to have vowed that they would not allow such meddling in the affairs of the House without their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) giving them the opportunity to make an input in who leads the House in the next Assembly.

Huhuonline.com learnt from six sitting lawmakers and two new members on Tuesday at the venue of the induction in Abuja, where the plot is being perfected with the cooperation of some of the incoming members who are also said to be averse to the choice of the former council chairman.

One of the six members, a first term lawmaker who was re-elected for another term, confirmed to our correspondent, at the induction venue, that members are not happy with the entry of Eshilokun in the race for speakership of the House.

He also said there are plans to ensure that the House repeated what happened at the House of Representatives that got Speaker Aminu Tambuwal massive support against the wish of some interfering factors.

The lawmaker from Lagos West Senatorial District, said: “Is he the only person from Lagos Central? Lagos Central has three people in the House who can do it and do it well. We think we are mature men and women. Yes, the party gave us the opportunity, but some people within the party think they can just force a person like Eshilokun on us.

“In the party , we have Moshood Oshun who is eminently qualified having been the oldest member of the House from Lagos Central. There is Gbolahan Yishawu from Eti Osa, who, though sound, is believed not to be mature enough to be Speaker. Then there is another lawmaker, Hon, Raheem, from Eti-Osa too.

“Are we saying these people and the core loyalists and supporters of Asiwaju Tinubu in the House are not trusted enough to by Asiwaju and our party?

“To be sincere, Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) has not said anything about his support for who becomes the Speaker House, there is this rumour been bandied by Eshilokun’s supporters that he is the chosen one and that Asiwaju actually asked him to get the ticket to represent Lagos Island Constituency 1.”

The major grouse among the first term lawmakers against Eshilokun and leaders of the APC supporting him is that some of their colleagues were betrayed in the agreement reached with them to return for a second term in office.

For example, it was learnt that leaders of the party in the Lagos Central agreed that all first term lawmakers must be allowed to return. But two of the first term lawmakers had their tickets snatched and one of these tickets went to Eshilokun against the alleged agreement reached.

“Many of us have vowed not to work with him if he eventually turns out to be the anointed choice. If we are coaxed into supporting him, the House would not meet any expectations in its four years as it would give rise to series of impeachments,” the lawmaker said bitterly.

Surprisingly, however, Eshilokun had just left this lawmaker when our correspondent approached him to know if he supported the former council chairman for the position of Speaker of the House.

Another lawmaker explained that Eshilokun currently has a case against his electoral victory in court and as such, it may not be in the interest of service to allow him lead the House.

Hon. Hakeem Masha, who lost the ticket to Eshilokun during the primary election has appealed the judgement of a Federal High Court declaring Eshilokun as the winner of the election.

Masha argued in his appeal that Eshilokun, having been appointed Secretary of the APC in Lagos State, should have resigned at least, 30 days before the primary election. But Eshilokun was said to have resigned few days to the election and that on this ground, he should be disqualified.

“In the case between Masha and Eshilokun, our party seems confused. Masha’s name is in the INEC headquarters as candidate of the party, yet INEC in Lagos recognises Eshilokun. Also, our party also wrote to Masha acknowledging that, truly, Eshilokun flouted the party’s constitution in seeking election without properly resigning. It also wrote another letter congratulating him for the electoral victory.

“As secretary of the party, he was the one who received and signed our forms. If he wanted to contest, which he is qualified for, it is expressly stipulated that he should resign in accordance with the constitution.

“Apart from having a case against him in court, do you think it is just right to make someone who flouted party guidelines the Speaker of the House? I think morality does not accept that. Eshilokun does not have my vote,” one of the lawmakers at the House told our correspondent wondering why the party had remained silent in the face of the confusion.

Another lawmaker, who asked not to be named, said the meeting to review the speakership tussle had been on before the induction exercise, adding that his point of argument against the ambition of Eshilokun is simply that the House of Assembly has gone far ahead of his knowledge of lawmaking and administration.

“He was a lawmaker between 1999 and 2003 before he left to take up other political appointments. Between then and now, so many things have changed. It is not the way he left the House 12 years ago that he would be meeting it in June. So why is he this ambitious?

The lawmaker, who also spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, said many of the returning lawmakers are not happy that Eshilokun is aiming to be Speaker rather than open himself up for training and understanding of legislative activities first.

“We have among us a female lawmaker who returned to the House after some years of staying out as a lawmaker. She did not come to start battling to be a principal officer. Instead, she stayed back to study the situation. Now, she has been re-elected.

“Eshilokun should concentrate on learning the ropes again. So many things have changed at the state legislature and he should know this. I’m even happy our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not endorsed anybody. I know he understand the game very well and would not go for the same person his colleagues don’t love.

“Moreover, many of these so-called leaders in our constituencies betrayed some of us during the primary and general elections. So why do they think we would succumb to them when we know that at the end of the day, our constituents would judge us by our actions?

“As we respect the party, I just hope the party reciprocates and, if zoning is agreed upon, they should pick the right peg for the right hole and do it judiciously. It shouldn’t be Eshilokun,” the lawmaker said.

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