… It is an unconstitutional organ – members
Large numbers of members and officers of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), are increasingly becoming uncomfortable, with the constitution and the roles of the Governor’s Advisory Council, (GAC), the supposed highest decision making organ of the chapter, chaired by the National Leader of the party Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This is coming on the heels of the admission of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the three Senators representing Lagos State in the red chamber, Remi Tinubu, Tokunbo Abiru and Solomon Olamilekan Adeola.
Members are decrying the constitution of the body and her continued existence, which they insist is not only unconstitutional, especially as there is no provision for this council in the constitution of the APC.
Members are also miffed that the body has usurped the roles and hierarchies of the constitutional and constituted organs of the party, which includes the State Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee of the party, in relation to the management of and critical decisions in the chapter.
Saheed Abiru Ologunde a member and legal practitioner in a chat with this medium offered that, “the usurpation of the roles of constitutional organs of our party, by the GAC in Lagos chapter is by stealth, and being passed of as constitutional, but falls flat under legal scrutiny.
“While party caucuses, wings and assemblies of like minds are allowed, the amorphous working nature of the Lagos GAC is unconstitutional, unacceptable and illegal.
“Is GAC advising the Governor of Lagos State or the State party chairman of the party. Since they are presumptuously advisers of Lagos State Governors produced on the platform of the APC, is Mr Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu the one appointing members of GAC, after all he appoints Special Advisers into his cabinet, who are screened by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“Without mincing words the GAC is a carefully strewn cabal of control by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to take full charge of both the government of Lagos State and the party chapter. He singlehandedly determine who becomes a member and when, what qualifies one for membership, and when such individual ceases to be a member.
“Every critical decision is taken by the GAC, leaving the constituted and constitutional arms of government and party in Lagos, tied to the apron string of the unconstitutional contraption, who uses all means to push through her agendas and designs on the teeming members of the chapter.”
Elder Samuel Koleola Amos in his submission said the role of the GAC has become increasingly inimical to smooth running of APC chapter in Lagos State.
In his words “It is an assembly of political bullies, whose membership qualification is loyalty to the person of Bola Tinubu and his agendas, it will be recalled that the body came into existence in 2007, at the end of his two term tenure as Lagos State, prior till then no GAC existed in Lagos State.
“GAC is Tinubu’s tool with which he controls the Lagos power structure, her layers, her levers and political office holders. This is the veil for his continued totalitarian hold on the party chapter. Members of GAC are stooges who only submit themselves as stamps on the agenda of their recruiter.
“Painfully Tinubu has rendered the constitutional and duly constituted organs of the chapter prostrate with this body. GAC determines appointments, promotions, policies, positions, standard bearers and senior party officers for the chapter.
“With the appointment of Remi Tinubu into the body, it presupposes that she is set to lead the cabal in the event her husband is unavailable as the build up to 2023 gathers momentum, with the yet to be officially flagged off presidential aspiration of her husband.”
The Fuad Oki led faction and other wings in the chapter, this medium learnt are mulling reporting the unconstitutional roles of the GAC in the chapter to the Mai Mala Buni led National Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee, and are set to test the legal standing and the continued existence of the body in a Court of competent jurisdiction.
Lagos APC GAC members are Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu Chairman, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Deputy Obafemi Hamzat. Speaker Federal House of Representatives Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker Lagos House of Assembly Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, Senatot Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Solomon Adeola, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Minister of Works, Housing HE Babatunde Fashola and HE Akinwunmi Ambode
Others are Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Otunba Henry Ajomale, Otunba Busura Alebiosu, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Omooba Murphy Adetoro, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Alhaji S.A Seriki(Bamu), Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Bashorun
Prince Rabiu Oluwa, Chief M. A Taiwo, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Dr Yomi Finnih, Omooba Muyiwa Sosanya, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Rt. Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Lagos APC State Caretaker Committee Chairman Alhaji Tunde Balogun, Mr Wale Edun, Mrs Idiat Adebule and Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson make up the 30 man cabal.