Law Suit Threatens Lagos Speakership Race

Zoning truncates ambition of Obasa, Tejuosho

Gboyega Akinsanmi A law suit filed by a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Hakeem Masha, has cast a pall on the choice of former Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, Hon. Wasiu SanniEshinlokun, who was by consent adopted as the preferred candidate for the state’s speakership position.

The choice of Eshinlokun was sequel to the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos chapter to officially zone the speakership position to Lagos Central since the governor-elect, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode comes from Lagos East while the deputy governor-elect, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, comes from Lagos West.

The zoning has automatically put paid to the ambition of the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Funmi Tejuosho representing Mushin Constituency I in Lagos West and the Chairman of the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa representing Agege Constituency I in Lagos West.

Eshinlokun, who had served the state in different capacities including the Secretary of Lagos State Micro Finance Institution (LASMI) and another member of the state House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003, is said to be the preferred candidate for the speakership position.

It was gathered that the party leaders had already agreed to support Eshinlokun’s speakership aspiration, citing his vast experience first as a council chairman between 2005 and 2014 and subsequently as a lawmaker between 1999 and 2003.

THISDAY, also, gathered that Eshinlokun’s candidature had earned the approval of the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu and other key party leaders at the Lagos Central, the same district Senator Oluremi Tinubu was elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

But if the court action filed against Eshinlokun finally sails through, a THISDAY source said it would summarily crash his speakership aspiration and automatically declare him ineligible to contest the legislative election in the state, thus paving way for Masha as the substantive candidate for the election.

The source added that it would give a major boost for the aspiration of Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu currently representing Eti-Osa Constituency II and Hon. Moshood Oshun representing Lagos Mainland II, both of whom are from Lagos Central.

Masha, currently representing Lagos Island Constituency I, is asking a Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos to disqualify Eshinlokun, who clinched the nomination ticket to contest the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In his notice of appeal, Masha claimed that Eshinlokun was the Secretary of Lagos APC at the time he contested the preliminary election without resigning from the position he occupied as required in the APC constitution.

However, a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi had earlier ruled against Masha (appellant) in a suit filed by Eshinlokun (respondent), thereby compelling the appellant to approach the appellate court, asking it to determine whether the respondent could contest on the APC platform while occupying the office of the Secretary in the chapter.

At the appellate court, Masha added that the trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba erred in law when he assumed jurisdiction to hear originating summons Eshilokun filed without exploring the party’s internal dispute mechanism enshrined in the APC constitution before proceeding to court.

Masha, also, faulted the trial judge on the issue of waiver as the APC National Working Committee or its National Executive Committee had, at no time, granted waiver to the respondent to participate in the primaries because he did not resign from his position within the stipulated time by the party’s constitution.

He stated that APC’s National Working Committee had in a response to his petition against the respondent’s participation in the primaries ruled that Sanni did not resign within the mandatory 30-day period as required by the APC Constitution.