Lagos Bye-Election: APC, LP, PDP Ready To Battle For Gbajabiamila’s Replacement

With about three weeks to February 3, 2024, scheduled for the bye-election in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, frontline parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have all shown readiness to battle at the polls for the replacement of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila, who represented Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in the lower house of the National Assembly for 20 years, tendered his resignation letter on the floor of the House on June 14, 2023 to resume work as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on December 22, 2023, released a timetable for conducting bye-elections resulting from the resignation or demise of members of the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Ahead of the House of Representatives bye-election in Surulere, APC has elected Fuad Laguda as its candidate.

Laguda polled 30 votes to defeat three other aspirants – Raheed Owokoniran, Lawal Kabir and Manzu Jemila- who got zero votes.

In his acceptance speech, Laguda who enjoyed the support of Gbajabiamila said: “It is with great humility that I appreciate the leadership of the party at all levels (Federal, State and Local Government) in conducting a free and fair primaries, which led to my emergence as the party’s candidate. Special appreciation goes to the Leader, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila for his unwavering fatherly support towards my aspiration. Sir, I want to assure you that I will make Us proud.”

He enjoined party members to intensify campaigns and mobilisation to ensure victory for APC.

Also, Adeola Adebanjo on Sunday emerged as LP’s candidate for the election after a keenly contested primary.

Adebanjo, an engineer by profession, got 12 votes out of 18 votes cast by delegates to beat Dr. Folaseye Adebayo who scored 6 votes and Barr Kene Osuji who got zero vote.

Similarly, PDP on Monday, elected Jerry Afemikhe as its candidate for the House of Representatives election at its primaries.

Popularly called Olori Odo, Afemikhe emerged victorious after polling 17 votes from a total of 18 votes cast by party delegates.

The Surulere 1 Federal Constituency bye-election is expected to be a tight contest between APC, LP and PDP. Although Gbajabiamila enjoyed the support of the constituency, his party may struggle to retain the constituency because of ethnic lines created during the 2023 general elections in Lagos.

Surulere has a good number of non-Yorubas and many of them may decide to vote against APC.

The state Secretary of LP, Sam Emeka Okpala, believes that the party has what it takes to win the election.

“We’re more than prepared. We’re starting to make sure that the process is fair, transparent and open so that nobody will query our nomination process,” Okpala had told THE WHISTLER before the party’s primaries.

“And the aspirants we have, they’re eminently qualified. We have a reputable electrical engineer; we have ENT surgeon specialist; we’ve a legal practitioner. So, you can see that the candidates we’re parading are more than qualified to beat whoever the APC or PDP or any other party will bring for the election.”

However, speaking with THE WHISTLER on Wednesday, APC’s spokesperson in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, dismissed the idea of strong opposition in LP and PDP.

“They can only try,” Oladejo said.”We’re prepared. If they call for an election today, we’re ready. The people of Surulere have always supported us from time immemorial.”

He thinks that with the accomplishments of the former Speaker and the quality of Laguda’s candidacy, APC remains a party to beat.