An ex-member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, under All Progressives Congress, APC, Dipo Olorunrinu, has said that the former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu has every right and deserved to lead Nigeria considering his pedigree and achievements in politics.
He also urged Tinubu to intervene in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, LGA lingering grievances within the party and find an amicable resolution.
Olorunrinu, who represented Amuwo-Odofin Constituency I in the House of Assembly and the chairmanship aspirant in 2021 Lagos council polls, made the plea in a statement at the weekend.
Commenting on Tinubu’s presidential ambition, he said, “I believe the former governor of Lagos State deserved to lead and should be given a chance, having developed and helped a lot of people in his political career.”
On Amuwo-Odifin crisis, Olorunrinu stated that there are unresolved issues and uneasiness among the party members following the mandate allegedly snatched away from him.
Olorunrinu said that after he had been declared winner of the APC ticket for the Amuwo-Odofin council topmost seat during the primary election, his name was substituted for the incumbent chairman, Valentine Buraimoh, to run for second term.
He recounted that after filling all necessary documents prescribed by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, as party’s flag-bearer, some leaders allegedly manipulated things and substituted his name.
According to him, this has been causing uneasiness in the council branch of the party with many people disenchanted, hence, the plea for the national leader to wade in time to resolve all pending issues.
While urging Tinubu on the need for restoration of his mandate, Olorunrinu said that his love for the party was huge but his teeming followers were aggrieved by the development, hence, the reason for seeking redress in the court.
“It is worrisome, appalling, so painful, and we are calling on him to see to it. I am an aggrieved person. People are equally aggrieved on my behalf.
“Our national leader knows about it and I wouldn’t want him to keep looking. I want him to do something about it.
“I joined the APC with my teeming supporters and I had to contest the council chairmanship, a kind of compensation. I did it with the support of our national leader, Tinubu,” he stated.
The former PDP lawmaker, who noted that APC had come to stay in Amuwo-Odofin, said he was not interested in maligning the party for any reason.
Expressing hope in the new state leadership of the party awaiting inauguration, Olorunrinu alleged that his case was part of the reasons the outgoing chairman, Tunde Balogun, was removed and deprived of running for the second term.
