by Adeniyi Onifade
Following Governor Babatunde Fashola’s stellar achievements in Lagos State, both critics and lovers of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) have intensely debated who is capable of succeeding him when he leaves office next year.
For residents of the state, any successor who fails to continue and build on Fashola’s enviable legacy will mark a return to the military era ‘business as usual’ in Lagos; and destroy the APC’s enviable support in the state. One of those widely seen as a contender for the Alausa seat is Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly; a man that epitomises ‘business as usual’.
With his ongoing trial for money laundering and details of his criminal convictions in the USA revealed, one would have expected Ikuforiji to shelve his ambition to be governor and leave the state’s political arena entirely. However, going by his Machiavellian methods in returning to the House even when his constituency, Epe, rejected him in 2011, Ikuforiji believes anything is possible.
The speaker is currently standing trial, together with his aide – Oyebode Atoyebi, for 54 counts of allegedly receiving over N600 million from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution between April 2010 and July 2011. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allege that the duo engaged in 57 illegal cash transactions in violation of Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.
Despite the gravity of this trial, and the backlash his party has suffered through it, Mr Ikuforiji has embarked on lavish preparations for campaigning to become governor. Hundreds of vehicles have been acquired by the speaker and his cronies in preparation for disbursement to supporters; an expensive chieftaincy title celebration was held in March to assuage wounded egos in Epe; a Public Relations machinery has been wheeled out to sensitise voters; among others.
While it is perfectly within his rights to contest for governor, it is also within the rights of Lagos residents to ask hard questions of what exactly Ikuforiji has achieved as the state’s number three season since 2005. The speaker has presided over a legislature for almost a decade that has performed far below par. Apart from a handful of insignificant bills, the Lagos State House of Assembly has merely been a rubber stamp for the numerous bills that have emanated from the executive arm of government.
Because of the level of apathy shown to the legislature, Ikuforiji held some town hall meetings in 2009 that aimed to get feedback from residents in the 20 local government areas of the state. The meetings exposed the level of disinterest that people have in the Ikuforiji-led House of Assembly. Yet, the speaker developed a thick skin and continued with the jamboree; ensuring that more food and wine featured at the next meeting in what many analysts say was his attempt at gaining popularity.
In 2015, Ikuforiji will not just be facing a handful of villagers. If he goes ahead to contest for governor, he will be facing an enlightened citizenry craving the continuation of good governance. He will be facing an impassioned citizenry willing to continue the contract of paying taxes to ensure that basic amenities are provided. Will he then consider it as ‘business as usual’ and fete them with food and wine and cash gifts?
The APC has earned its reputation in Nigeria as the party which will not tolerate ‘business as usual’; and is expected to look beyond Ikuforiji for a new governor in 2015. After 16 years of the visionary leadership of Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola, Lagos deserves better than an ex-convict.
Adeniyi Onifade works in the Lagos Civil Service.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
