Residents of Somolu Federal Constituency on Sunday, trouped out in a peaceful solidarity walk to press home their demands for the All Progressives Congress to conduct primaries, where delegates will be allowed to vote their choice candidates ahead of the 2023 elections.
Armed with placards boldly displaying their prayers to concerned authorities within the party, the residents staged a peaceful walk around Somolu locality re-echoing their plea.
Some of the placards have bold inscriptions like;“Gang up or no gang up we want Olowo, All Somolu Supports Olowo 2023,Somolu Unites for Olowo Rotimi 2023 and more.
One of the adhoc delegates for the said primaries, Mr. Olawale Matti affirmed that the APC Electoral Chairman Mr. Olaini Blaise in Somolu had faulted the process citing the fact that it can not hold, owing to issues with the distribution of electoral materials which is at variance with what was spelt out in the electoral act.
On the day of our primary election we were at the local government secretariat as delegates but primary election for the House of Assembly and House of Reps could not hold because the electoral Chairman noticed some anomaly in the distribution of electoral materials.
“He said he is going to give report to the authorities that sent him to come and conduct the election.
“There was also an issue raised about the delegates list when we ought to have the House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, but for it holds no water because the same list was used for the Senatorial primaries of Senator Tokunbo Abiru.
“They just used that to disrupt the process, they were only avoiding primaries in Somolu because they’ve already conceded defeat.
“We want primaries, let us go to the field, I am a delegate.
“We want our leaders in APC to allow us hold the primaries. If we go to the field and have the primaries, we will accept it if they defeat us but we know, we have people on our side and we are ready for the primary election. Let them come and conduct election for Somolu Federal constituency.
Mr.Onaolapo Afeez, head media team of Honourable Olowo Rotimi Campaign organisation note that: “this is a solidarity walk for our symbol, Honourable Rotimi Emmanuel Olowo.
“We felt that the people’s mandate, people’s choice and people’s hope want to be snatched away by leaders of our political party APC, especially here in Lagos State.
“We have the crowd and people on our side so we are using this solidarity walk to appeal to the conscience of our leaders to allow the will of our people prevail, it is not a protest.
“The issue on ground is just one, that the party hierarchy, failed to conduct the primary for Somou federal constituency thereby imposing an unpopular candidate, Honourable Ademorin Kuye on us.
We insist that we want primaries because it is stated in the electoral act that it is either you go for an elective primaries or you have a consensus candidate but in this situation, there is nothing like consensus they just remove our candidate from the ballot paper and thereby declare a particular person as the winner. So we felt that the party hierarchy are not fair to us.”
Alhaji Mouruf Adedigba an APC member in Somolu note that: “Olowo has been selflessly aiding our course across the divide in Somolu, he is our choice for House of Reps, if we don’t allow the will of people prevail APC might end up losing the election.
“We want Olowo in Somolu, he has done so much to ensure people’s welfare is maximally guaranteed.
Mrs Bisola Adenola a Woman Leader in Somolu also affirmed Olowo’s welfarist style, adding that he has a towering stature in people’s reckoning.
“Since Kuye left for Abuja, we have not seen him,the first dollar I received was from Olowo, if they give APC Reps candidature in Somolu to somebody else than Olowo, we may lose.
Mrs Oluremi Doherty another aged woman who spoke so glowingly about Olowo’s magnanimity, charged the party to do the people’s bidding.
“We want the leaders to bring Olowo as our candidate for Reps that is what he deserves.
“We don’t want chaos in Somolu, so give us back Olowo.
Madam Okanlawon Kudirat narrating why Olowo is her preferred candidate recounted, the role played by the lawmaker in ensuring her health was restored.
“I once had stroke Olowo singlehandedly took care of me, I would have been dead by now but for his timely help.
Another aged woman who corroborated the initial statement, Mrs. Rachel Ajayi who just got restored health wise hinted that she had to come identify with Olowo for one very germane reason.
“I just left the hospital, my children allowed me come down here for Olowo’s course, because he is one that will do everything humanly possible to ensure everyone around him is alright.
“ I remember I had a terminal ailment that demands a sum of 1.5million naira for surgical operation, I sent a text to him 8pm that day and by early morning the next day he sent me a million naira.
“He is so humane. During festive periods he still ensure we all had something to enjoy the festive periods.
“In both Somolu and Bariga his presence is well felt, we want him in the House of Reps.
“All the machinations against him is due to the believe that he made people know that there is money in politics which he gives selflessly, as against their own stingy traits.
“When APC died in Somolu Olowo resurrected it, we did not see anybody, he will do things without exposing the person he did it for.
“He sent my son to America, prior to now his vote was given to Kuye back then, we don’t want a repeat of that, we want him as our House of Representatives candidate.