Yesterday (Sunday), many of us rose to condemn Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, for his open attack on his opponent in the coming Governorship primary, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu.
But I think it is now time to take stocks. The allegations raised are weighty and serious, and we deserve to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Some other information have since emerged, indicating that indeed, all may not be well, in that regard.
Nigerians and Lagosians in particular, deserve to know the true status of anyone aspiring to public office; not just in relation to health, but also his preferences, his financial status and all other areas of common concern. It is not proper to just wish this away.
The APC as a party owes a sacred duty of disclosure. A sitting Governor will not just wake up one day and be throwing allegations of mental instability against his opponent, that he knows very well, just for the sake of winning an election.
The import of any serious health challenge for any person aspiring to the position of Governor of the largest economy in Nigeria, is that of capacity, especially in the light of allegations of godfatherism, as the bane of politics in Lagos State. It then raises the issue of a lame duck governor, installed only as a figure head, but in truth not capable of governance.
The other point is a level playing field, for all contestants, in the primary election. It is alleged that the structure of the election is such as to produce a predetermined winner, to the extent that the incumbent governor and his aides and loyalists have no access cards to vote, in an election in which he is a major contestant. That is totally unacceptable.
It behoves the APC as the ruling party of progressives, to show true leadership. It cannot continue to be enmeshed in serious allegations of vote manipulation, virtually in all elections in which it is involved.
The latest report released by the team of observers raised by the NBA to monitor the Osun rerun election, is just too damning against the APC as a party, for it to move from Osun to Lagos, to be planning to conduct a sham primary election, so much that the said primary election has been shifted so many times, and there’s no guaranty even now, that it will hold soon.
The leading figures in the APC today, have their own track records in the history of Nigeria, such that it is totally baffling that they are involved in the mysterious controversies that the party is currently enmeshed in.
I therefore urge the party to come out clean and avail us with the true information concerning the status of all its candidates and ensure free, fair and credible primary elections.
If what we witness now in the primary elections of the APC as a ruling party is anything to go by, then we can as well forget elections for 2019.
God bless Nigeria.
Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, Esq.,
Lekki, Lagos.
01/10/2018
