15th May, 2015
Jamiu Yisa
For one of the contenders to the speakership seat of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, his ambition may be running into a brick wall due to legals impediments he has to overcome.
Investigation revealed that the ‘lawmaker-elect’ for Lagos Island State Constituency 1 has some legal explanations to make if his ambition to occupy the number three political seat in the Centre of Excellence is to be realised.
Both Eshinlokun-Sanni and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have to explain how his name was listed as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last state Assembly election for the constituency being contested for.
This expalanation becomes pertinent in view of the Appeal Court ruling that the status quo be maintained prior to the election.
Eshinlokun-Sanni had taken his opponent, Hakeem Masha, to court over the APC candidacy tussle, claiming he was the right candidate of the party.
A Lagos High Court granted Eshinlokun’s wish, proclaiming him the candidate of the party.
However, Masha filed an appeal against the ruling and the Appeal Court overruled the ruling of the lower court, stating that the status quo before the ruling of the lower court be maintained, meaning Masha was the candidate of the party as at the time of the election.
Another issue awaiting Eshinlokun’s explanation was how he became the candidate of the party while still being an officer of the party.
Prior to the nomination of the party, he was the substantive Secretary of APC in Lagos State.
As one of the leaders from Lagos Island and party officer from the constituency, he was one of those who signed the nomination form of Masha.
It was after this that he resigned and decided to contest for nomination to represent the party in the same constituency.
Section 7b of the party’s constitution states clearly that any party officer wishing to run for any office must resigned his appointment 30 days before the nomination exercise of the party.
Eshinlokun did not comply and neither was he given a waiver to contest by the national leadership of the party.
The same party constitution states that you must not contest an election while you are still part of the process.
As at the commencement of the APC nomination, Eshinlokun as state Secretary was part of the process for nomination of the party’s candidate.
It was because of this that Masha protested and he was duly recognised as the party’s candidate and quite against party procedure, it was Eshinloku who made the matter a legal issue by taking the party and Masha to court.
Suffice to add that as at the time of writing this report, Masha’s name is still appearing on INEC website as the APC candidate for Lagos Island State Constituency 1.