Politics
FESTAC Residents Bemoan PDP Member’s Defeat
Some residents of FESTAC Town, Lagos State, have expressed disappointment over the defeat of Mr Dipo Olorunrinu, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The Tide’s source recalls that Olorunrin, the only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member in the Lagos Assembly, lost his re-election bid in the March 9 House of Assembly election to Mrs Mojisola Alli-Macaulay of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Olorunrinu, who was among the eight PDP lawmakers elected into the Lagos Assembly in 2015 general elections, did not defect to the ruling APC when seven of his colleagues did in 2017.
A survey by The Tide’s source on the constituents’ assessment of the first term of the young lawmaker at the weekend, revealed that he was admired by the constituents and close to the people.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the source across different avenues and roads in FECTAC, described Olorunrinu as a man of the people, who had touched their lives.
A resident on 204 Road, Mrs Josephine Kanu, described Olorunrinu’s loss at the polls as painful.
“I feel so bad that Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu lost the election. He won in many polling stations in FESTAC Town, but I don’t know what happened in Mile 2. Only God will judge.
“He did well for us, he bought cylinders and gas for women on the streets. He paid school fees, bought cows for people. I will miss him, when he leaves office. I wish they can repeat the election,” Kanu said.
Also speaking, Pastor Adekanmbi Aderemi, a cleric on same road, corroborated Kanu, saying that he had not been voting in the past, but that he had to vote in the last election because of Olorunrinu.
He added that the lawmaker was very close to the people, and that “if you go round, you will see what he has done. It is a great loss for us. He tried a lot, we have never experienced what he did for us in the past.”
“Keke Marwa and Okada riders were talking about him. He used to go to mosques and churches and gave people gifts,” the cleric said.
In his view, Umar Malam Umar, a Chief Security Officer of one of the roads in FESTAC Town, said that he was not happy about what happened to the lawmaker.
Umar said: “Olorunrinu used to give food to the residents to break their fast during Ramadan since he got to the assembly. We don’t know what will happen now as another Ramadan is approaching.
“We will continue to pray for him as we also do during the Ramadan. Olorunrinu used to give cows and rams to the residents during Sallah.
” He gave me a ram for Sallah last year and he is not tribalistic. He is good to the Hausas, Yorubas and Igbos,” he said.
A panel beater at 3rd Ave, FESTAC Town, Mr Kehinde Yisa, commended the lawmaker for providing free buses to convey students to and from schools.
“He discusses with us a lot and shares his experiences with us. He gave us rice, cows and a lots of things.
“We are not happy that he lost. He used to attend our meetings. He used to invite us to events and gave us food during Ramadan,” he said.
All these were corroborated by a herb seller, who simply gave her name as Mary as well as some commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders who gave their names as Mr Dennis Gadama, Samuel Peter, David Dandi, among others.
According to Dandi, Olorunrinu’s electoral loss is painful to most of them saying Olorunrinu has helped a lot of people including old men and women.
“He has helped to stop people from seizing our okadas. It is painful that Olorunrinu lost the election. Okada people love him because he has done a lot for them,” he said.
A trader, who gave her name as Mama Blessing, eulogised the lawmaker saying: ” Olorunrinu deserves to win the election.”
“He is “talk and do” just like his nickname. He lost because people were discouraged, they did not come out for the election. It is so painful. We will never forget him.
“He didn’t deserve to lose. I have seen others before, but this man worked. He campaigned vigoroursly and most people are annoyed that he lost the election,” she said.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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