Six aspirants seeking nomination in Lagos East Senatorial District on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) have withdrawn from the race in support of the former Group Managing Director, Polaris Bank Limited, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, who has emerged as consensus candidate ahead of the direct primary scheduled to hold today.
Those that officially announced their withdrawal yesterday are the Vice Chairman, Lagos APC, Chief Kaoli Olusanya; former Head of Service in the state, Mr. Segun Ogunlewe, and erstwhile Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye.
Others are former General Manager/Permanent Secretary, Lagos Television (LTV), Mr. Lekan Ogunbanwo; former member of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Olanrewaju Odesanya, and Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association, Chief Olusegun Abiru.
In their separate accounts yesterday, the aspirants agreed to support Abiru to enable the party conduct a direct primary election free of acrimony and ensure harmony ahead of the by-election scheduled to hold on October 31, 2020.
Olusanya said his withdrawal was in the overall interest of the party to allow a candidate to emerge without internal conflict, which he said, could jeopardise the chances of APC in the by-election.
Also, the Lagos State House of Assembly, which comprises 40 legislators, all on the APC platform and all lawmakers representing the state in the National Assembly, also endorsed Abiru.
At a consultation meeting with the lawmakers yesterday, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, assured Abiru that all lawmakers would deploy their campaign structure to canvass votes for him (Abiru).
He said: “It is the responsibility of all of us in this Assembly and not those from Lagos East alone to support your senatorial aspiration.
“Let us focus on the election proper. It is not just your election, but also our election. It is our election because whatever the outcome, it will have implications on all of us, our party in Lagos, and what will happen in the 2023 general elections. For us, we have no other choice than to support your aspiration.”
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