OSINOWO: Succession pendulum swings towards Epe

By Adedapo Akinrefon

THE demise of the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Bayo Osinowo, also known as Pepperito, came as a shock to politicians and political watchers across the country.  His untimely death has thrown Lagos State into a mourning mood. The Senator died recently as a result of complications from the coronavirus COVID-19. The shock that greeted his death must have informed the silence of likely contenders to replace him at the Senate.

However, since it is imperative to fill up the vacant seat, political analysts have gone to town to sample various opinions about who should succeed the deceased lawmaker. The race for who succeeds the late Osinowo is gaining momentum in the senatorial district. A fresh election will have to be conducted in the senatorial district. So, many contenders are gradually showing interest in replacing the late Osinowo at the upper chamber.

Names such as former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Olugbenga Ashafa, Director-General of Nigeria In Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chief Lanre Razak, Jimi Benson, and a former Lagos Commissioner, Dr. Tola Kasali, are being tipped to occupy the seat. During the 2019 electioneering campaigns, not a few contestants showed interests in occupying the seat to represent the Lagos East senatorial District. All the aspirants, including the then incumbent, Senator Olugbenga Ashafa showcased their high points that they considered effective political tools that could earn them their electoral successes at the polls. But the slot went to Kosofe Division when the leadership of the party urged other aspirants to step down for the late Osinowo.

While individuals are intensifying their efforts through mobilisation, sensitisation and consultations towards achievement of their goals, some groups have also sprung up as campaign mouthpieces either for some particular aspirants or for their catchment areas in their various divisions.

However, this time around, the Epe Division in the Lagos Senatorial District does not want to be left out.  Perhaps, as a way of compensating the division, the axis should be given the opportunity to produce Osinowo’s replacement.

It should be noted that during the prior the APC primaries in 2019, and when all the aspirants were asked to step down, Chief Razak complied without minding the huge funds he had spent to canvass for support across his districts. Analysts posit that compensating Chief Razak with the slot this time to reward his loyalty to the party would serve as incentives to others that may be asked to step down in the future.

The lobbyist group reasoned that, out of the five Divisions in the district-Ibeju-Lekki, Somolu, Kosofe, Ikorodu and Epe, only Epe has not been considered for the seat while a couple of divisions have had opportunities to be there twice.

While Ibeju-Lekki Division has enjoyed a second chance and Kosofe also started its second term before its representative’s sudden death, Epe Division is yet to have a chance to occupy the coveted seat, hence, the need to consider Epe in the spirit of fair play and principle of power rotation. It is no gainsaying that Epe Division is never in short supply of highly experienced and eminently qualified materials to replace Osinow

Investigations revealed that the name of the former Lagos State Public Transportation Commissioner and current member of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, Chief Razak severally came up as a suitable aspirant to take up the seat vacated by Senator Osinowo.

The reason for this, according to checks, was that, apart from considering him as an Epe representative, the remaining three years could serve as a retirement parting gift for the politician for his loyalty and patriotism.

Political pundits are of the opinion that such an arrangement would save the party any hassle of primaries electioneering could cause. They pointed out that a formidable, highly experienced and eminently qualified chieftain of the APC like a former State Commissioner for Public Transportation, a philanthropist, business mogul and astute politician, Chief Kamorudeen Lanrewaju Mobinuori (KLM) Razak, would not be a hard sell in that district.

Hence, the reason for thinking that Razak’s choice to succeed the late Osinowo in the Senate would be a welcome idea.

The post OSINOWO: Succession pendulum swings towards Epe appeared first on Vanguard News.

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