Lagos is like today’s London where an Arab is Mayor, APC tells agitating indigenes

LANRE ADEWOLE delves into the issues shaping the indigeneship narrative in Nigeria’s most cosmopolitan state.

FOLLOWING the controversy that greeted the claim by a frontline chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr Fouad Oki, that only three former governors of the state have clear Eko ancestry, political leaders across the aisle have been giving the issue a wide possible berth due to its implications for voters’ support in coming elections.

In an interview with Saturday Tribune last weekend, Oki, a factional chairman of the ruling party in the state, had lamented the alleged takeover of the running of the state by non-indigenes, claiming that he could only guarantee genuine Lagos ancestry of former governors Lateef Jakande, Sir Michael Otedola and Babatunde Fashola.

Those he left out of his list are former governors Bola Tinubu, Akinwunmi Ambode and incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu, thereby throwing the political arena into a spin.

When Saturday Tribune reached out to leaders of the two dominant political parties for their comments on Oki’s claims, they tactically dodged the issue which they deemed too controversial and confrontational towards the non-indigenes. Non-indigenes in the state are believed to hold the aces when it comes to voting arithmetic, as they are deemed to be in the majority. Even known indigenes of the state who would be expected to be at the forefront of the agitation against the alleged marginalisation of the indigenes in the running of the state refused to give public opinions on the raging controversy.

Peeved by what is deemed total control of the political and governance space by non-indigenes in the state, groups championing the interest of the state’s natives have come out strongly to denounce the perceived strong hold of the non-indigenous ruling class on the state politics since the return of democracy in 1999.

Ruling bloc of former Governor Tinubu has been in charge of the state since 1999, producing all the four governors till date. Of the four till date, Oki believes only Fashola is the only authentic native, though he traced the incumbent’s maternal root to Olowogbowo and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat’s to the Olusis. Hamzat’s father was a traditional ruler in Ogun State before he passed on.

Oki had said: “I confirm without any air that Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s maternal side is the Cole Family of Oke Olowogbowo. His maternal uncle, Mr Bolaji Cole, is my very close egbon and elder at both the Abegede group in Isale Eko as well as Yoruba Tennis Club. I grew up in Surulere with Governor Sanwo-Olu during our formative years, so I know his maternal side very well. The deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat’s mother is from one of Lagos White Cap Chieftaincy, the Egbe Chieftancy family. Indeed, his mother and my uncle, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, are cousins from that prominent family.”

On the suspicion that other prominent government leaders aren’t real Lagosians, Oki, who used to be a close ally of the state political leader, Bola Tinubu, said: “Lastly, my brother, Barrister Hakeem Muri-Okunola, is from Isale Eko and partly Isalegangan like Honourable Minister BRF. They are cousins from his maternal side. His paternal uncle is the popular Lagos socialite and retired director at the state Inland Revenue Service, Mr T. K. Oseni. The state Chief Judge is one of us, a prominent son of Ikorodu. Others, unfortunately, are what Americans would call the dreamers, when you look at their sojourn to Lagos in search of the proverbial Golden Fleece. They have done well for themselves in Lagos. If anything, they are the confirmation of the divine prediction of what Lagos will be.”

Others being referred to by Oki in the said interview are the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honouable Mudashiru Obasa, who is the third citizen of the state as well as senators representing the state.

Despite Oki’s claim, the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunla, is widely believed to have his roots in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

The death of the senator representing Lagos East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Bayo Osinowo, reopened the identity crisis in the state polity and the shocking passing of Honourable Tunde Buraimoh, a member of the state House of Assembly representing Kosofe 2 constituency, has added to the agitation of the natives who are now demanding that the two leading parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), concede the two vacant legislative seats to indigenes of the state to fill.

Osinowo was buried in his native Ogun State and his compatriot representing Lagos West, Olamilekan “Yayi” Solomon Adeola, in 2019, briefly sought the governorship of his native Ogun State before he returned to Lagos to clinch the senatorial ticket again, till 2023. While Buraimoh was buried in Lagos, his own in Ibadan, his roots, organised a special fidau for the repose of his soul in the capital of Oyo State, where he was a chief.

A prominent member of the House of Representatives from the state, Honourable James Faleke, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, is also from Kogi State where he has sought the governorship seat. He rejected the state’s deputy governor slot to return to the lower legislative house of the National Assembly on Lagos slot.

Wide possible berth?

Despite the obvious dominance of the political space by non-indigenous actors belonging to Tinubu’s political family and tree, both APC and PDP leaders contacted by Saturday Tribune in the course of the week refused to join the fray.

A regular governorship aspirant on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (identity withheld) simply refused to be drawn into the controversy when contacted, despite being an outspoken critic of the Tinubu political family and an indigene of the state.

The politician-businessman, who recently got into some COVID-19 controversies, disclosed off-record that the non-indigenes who are at the receiving end of the ongoing campaign are the bedrock of his party’s electoral support in the state and taking his fellow indigenes’ battle could mean a direct attack on his political base.

Another very big name who once commandeered a big political party won’t also give an elaborate opinion to Saturday Tribune though he had once complained about the alleged marginalisation of the natives. He is also an indigene. Though no reasons were given for side-stepping an interview on the matter, feelers from within his political family also showed that the reluctance was about the quantum of votes that the non-indigenes, particularly the non-Yoruba voters in the state, bring to the table during elections.

Leaders of the ruling party accused of promoting the non-indigenous agenda were also reluctant to speak on the controversy. From a former state legislator, an indigene, who doesn’t want to offend the non-indigene big bosses of the ruling party, to a senatorial leader in Osinowo’s district who referred Saturday Tribune to the party leadership, everyone just wanted to stay away from the matter. Saturday Tribune, however, struck it when the chairman of the mainstream APC in the state, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, agreed to sit down with this newspaper.

Triangular war?

For a fact, the ruling class in the state, accused of marginalising the natives, has not enjoyed the support of mainstream non-Yoruba residents of the state at the poll, unlike the opposition. In 2015, non-Yoruba dwellers in the state, particularly of Igbo origin, almost played the perfect spoiler for the APC, giving PDP the largest chunk of its votes. Since then, both the non-indigenous Yoruba rulers and non-Yoruba dwellers have sustained a cat and mouse relationship, while the political influence of non-Yoruba residents continues to soar.

The Igbo race in Lagos is, by far, the most politically-relevant non-Yoruba dwellers of the state. While the Hausa community is also pulling its punches, the Northerners in Lagos have not been able to mobilise the kind of dominant political influence of Ndigbo in the richest Nigerian state, putting the influential South-Easterners in the thick of the indigene/settler’s war. While opposition elements are at the forefront of the marginalisation cries, they, incidentally, enjoy the best of patronage from non-Yoruba residents, many of whom also see the state as a “no man’s land,” an appellation considered gratuitous insult by Oki. But the protesting indigenous opposition elements aren’t kicking against their supporters’ rising influence, their agitation is against fellow Yoruba rulers who aren’t indigenes of the state but dominate the system. However, speaking against non-indigenes in broad terms is putting the opposition elements in a quandary since all non-indigenes, including their supporters, would feel the bile, hence the decision to tone down their anti-indigene rhetoric.

For the ruling party, indigeneship isn’t an issue as long as development is non-stop, regardless of who is facilitating it as a public officer.

No Lagos indigenes have ever been denied the right to aspire or contest for elective positions —APC chair

Chairman, APC, Lagos State chapter, Honourable Babatunde Balogun, spoke to SUBAIR MOHAMMED on the raging controversy.

A frontline chieftain of the APC, Honourable Fouad Oki, claimed that only three of the six civilian governors in Lagos State have clear Lagos ancestry. He listed Alhaji Lateef jakande, Babatunde Fashola and Sir Michael Otedola. Is his claim true?

I don’t have any obligation to disclaim or affirm whatever he said. He has a democratic right to express his opinion. And that has nothing to do with me.

Despite being a close associate of the national leader of the ruling APC, Senator, Bola Tinubu, before they fell out, Oki didn’t list him among ‘real’ Lagosians who have ruled the state, as well as former governor Ambode and the incumbent. Do you know the stories of their ancestries?

Like I said earlier, I am not ready to join words with Fouad. I cannot judge his opinion. He made a comment which he is entitled to, as the constitution of the country guarantees freedom of speech. He is only aggrieved and that is responsible for his position on some issues. He is still a member of the APC. I am not denying that unless he feels otherwise, but I am not going to join issues with him on who comes from where. I will be happy to have him back one day in our fold. I am making effort to bring him back. He cannot claim he is not an APC member because he has not quit his membership. But the fact remains that he has every right to his opinion.

Lagos is seen by some people as a ‘no man’s land. Is this why non-indigenes occupy top positions in the state while indigenes come out badly in the political arithmetic of the state?

I have told you the mode of election of candidates in our party. According to our constitution, emergence of candidates can either be by consensus or direct primary. Over the years, people from all walks of life that have contributed to the growth of Lagos State have emerged on our party’s platform. They have been able to get to that stage of standing for an election under the APC platform through our constitutional process, which is democratic. There is no single governor that has served in Lagos State that has not gone through this constitutional process of primary election.

Are they all indigenes of Lagos State?

You didn’t get what I said. We did direct primaries and they came out victorious. People have their opinions which I don’t know how they formed. Fashola went through primary before becoming the governor, just as Ambode did. But to now speculate about what is not is what I don’t understand.

It is said that politics is a game of numbers. Do we have enough Lagos State indigenes to bid successfully for elective positions in the state?

First of all, I am an indigene of the state. I am a bona fide Lagosian. If I can be an indigene of the state, what does that tell you?

What about other prominent officers like the Head of Service?

The Head of Service will tell you his background if you ask him. I am an indigene and I must let you know that. Lagos is a cosmopolitan state. It used to be the federal capital. It can be likened to a city like London and New York where people get elective positions through democratic means. In London, as we speak, the Mayor is an Arab. In New York, all sorts of people contest elections because of their contributions to the growth of the city. The same thing applies here. But that is not to say that Lagos indigenes are denied the right to aspire or contest for elective positions. The fact that some non-indigenes have climbed political ladder as a result of their contributions to the growth and development of the state to stand and win elections does not suggest that indigenes are relegated or denied such opportunities. You asked me earlier why the party reserved seats for indigenes. On the one hand, they criticise us for allowing non-indigenes to run for elective positions and on the other, they said we should not allow only indigenes to occupy elective positions. I hate people speaking from two sides of the mouth.

I don’t want to criticise anybody but I know that we have a responsible party that is being managed by responsible leaders in the state. Leadership of the party in the state can be relied upon and followed at any given time.

We have a leadership that when you follow, you cannot go wrong. We have been responsible enough to see that a state like Lagos becomes a pacesetter.

Various forms of people come out to contest for tickets and you cannot deny them. This is what democracy is all about. It is about giving equal rights to every individual without any discrimination.

How far have you gone in reconciling aggrieved members of the party, including former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode?

Former governor Ambode has not been seen around for some time. We must be fair to him and other members. Since he has not told me he has ceased to be a member of the APC, he remains a part of us. Neither has he signified interest in contesting for the Lagos East Senatorial seat. But if he does, he will be considered to contest like other members of the party.

Following the death of two lawmakers Bayo Osinowo of Lagos East Senatorial district and Honourable Tunde Buraimah, representing Kosofe 2 at the state assembly, there have been speculations about likely replacements. What is the position of the party?

There has been so much anxiety over the vacant seats both at the Senate and the Lagos State House of Assembly. People, particularly journalists, have disappointed me a lot. I had expected that journalists would do a lot of investigative journalism rather than speculating about replacement. I was taken aback with the kind of information I receive from journalists these days concerning who would replace the deceased representatives. This has to change. Speculative journalism is not healthy for our democracy and the society. I am urging journalists to investigate and be sure of their facts before making it public. They should desist from speculation.

The All Progressives Congress in the state has not started the process of shopping for replacements for the two representatives. The vacant seats for the Lagos East Senatorial district and Kosofe Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly have neither been filled nor have candidates nominated or elected.

But I am assuring Lagosians and the general public that the process would start whenever INEC gives directives and timetable on when it is to be. Lagos APC has not adopted anybody and the guidelines for the conduct of the election to replace these members have not been released by INEC. All the names of likely replacements doing the rounds are mere speculations as Lagos APC has not chosen any candidate. Although many candidates have signified interest in the seats, let me make it clear that Lagos APC has not adopted any candidate among them.

Let me reiterate that journalists should stop speculations. They should come over to the secretariat to verify or request for whatever information concerning this issues before putting it out there. Recently, it was reported that Honourable Dele Alake had shown interest in the Lagos East Senatorial seat which he had denied anyway. He said he had never shown interest in the seat. You will then begin to wonder where and how journalists arrived at such information. This is not a healthy development. Fake news is destructive and damaging. It is not healthy for people to be doing a disclaimer after every publication. This is junk journalism.

I am assuring the people that the process of selecting candidates by the party will be democratic and transparent. It cannot be done in secrecy. In our party, we have two options for the emergence of candidates. It is either by consensus or through primary election therefore one of these two options will be adopted.

When is this going to be?

Before any move is made, the national leadership of the party has to be informed and I have done that. It is now left for them to inform INEC and the Senate and I think that too has been done. INEC will, therefore, come up with timetable for the conduct of the election. There are prospective applicants but as I speak nobody has bought expression of interest form to signify interest in the seats. I don’t know how they come across all the names that were mentioned in the media as jostling for the seats. But beyond this, nothing has been done.

Is former governor Ambode among those that have expressed interest in the Lagos East Senatorial seat?

No. Former governor Ambode has not shown any interest in the senatorial seat. If he has such intention, he has not expressed such to me. Many people have shown interest from different parts of the senatorial districts in the state but Ambode is not among them. Nothing has gone beyond expression of interests but to assume that the party has picked its candidate is disheartening.

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