Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed media report that it has handpicked outgoing Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Adetokunbo Mukhail Abiru, as its consensus candidate for the forthcoming Lagos East Senatorial District bye-election.
Dismissing the report, Lagos State APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, said the party has not conducted its primary election for the forthcoming bye-election and such could not have chosen any candidate.
He advised well-meaning citizens of Lagos State and Lagos East Senatorial District to be calm and wait for the outcome of the forthcoming primary that would take place next Thursday.
According to him, “The party has not picked any candidate for the forthcoming bye-elections. It is not until next week Thursday when the primary will be conducted that the candidates for Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe 2 constituency will be determined.
“Lagosians should disregard any speculation or rumors making the rounds that the party has already picked Mr. Tokunbo Abiru as the party’s consensus candidate for the senatorial election.”
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had quoted Lagos State APC Assistant Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Salami, to have confirmed in an interview with newsmen on Friday that Abiru had been picked as the party’s consensus candidate for Lagos East Senatorial District election.
The reports said, Abiru, who served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance under the Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, was allegedly handpicked by party elders, including the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.
NAN disclosed that Salami confirmed Abiru had been successfully screened at the party secretariat, adding that all the other aspirants had purportedly stepped down for him in agreement with the party.
“Mr. Abiru is the consensus candidate of the party; it is confirmed.
“The elders, under the platform of Governor’s Advisory Council met and consulted widely and they resolved on the choice of Abiru as the consensus candidate.
“The choice has been endorsed by the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; all the other aspirants have stepped down in agreement, it was a unanimous decision,” Salami was reportedly quoted.
Lagos East Senatorial District became vacant following the death of Bayo Osinowo (Peperito), representing the area, on June 15.
He died of complications arising from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Idowu Sowunmi
