Dipo Olowookere
By Ebireri Henry Ovie
Former National Chairman of Mega Progressive People’s Party (MPPP), Mr Aderemi Banjo, has lamented what he called leadership failure in Surulere Constituency 1.
Mr Banjo expressed his mind at the special meeting of Surulere community leaders on Thursday.
He told the leaders and elders in Surulere that he was against the 5th term ambition of Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, for what he termed as “poor representation” of the people at the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
“The position should not be monopolized by a non-performing person,” he said.
In his presentation titled, ‘Surulere: The Way Forward,’ Mr Banjo asked the leaders to regard the House of Representatives contest in the constituency as an open one.
Noted for his forthright disposition and virulent hatred for bad leadership, the astute politician called for decisive action against non-performing politicians.
The APC chieftain urged the community leaders to identify with an aspirant that can provide a new lease of leadership for the people.
“Our representative must deliver the dividend of democracy to the people. He must know the problems of the constituency and cover the interests of all the people. His loyalty to the leaders must not be in doubt,” he said.
Recalling the pronouncement of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Bola Tinubu, banning members who had spent a minimum of eight years as a ward, council and state executive members from seeking re-election, the seasoned politician urged the former Lagos State governor and APC members in Lagos State to stop the 5th term agenda of the Majority Leader, House of Representatives.
He described the negative response of some elders to the 5th term agenda of Mr Gbajabiamila as a move that will bring development to the constituency and an end to poor leadership.
Mr Banjo also took a hard look at political participation in Nigeria accusing the ruling party of trying to frustrate the political ambition of the youths in Nigeria with the ridiculous prices being charged for nomination and expression of interest forms.
“The exorbitant prices of nomination and expression of interest forms and the recycling of non-performing politicians make it hard for many Nigerian youths to take a plunge into the murky waters of politics. It also negates the Not too young or too poor to run philosophy.”
He said his rejection of 5thterm was to allow a fresh person to represent the good people of Surulere with a view to taking the constituency to the next level.
Mr Banjo who volunteered advice on how to steer the constituency on the right course impressed on the leaders the need to adopt his programme on economic and social transformation of the constituency.
“Like previous situations, issues have not been the focus of the campaigns,” he said, also condemning the capital-intensive nature of politics in Nigeria.
