Master political Predator

‎By Emeka Nwaneri
It came as no surprise to Lagosians when the announcement was made by former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that he had decided to install his daughter as the next Iyaoloja of Nigeria. What has Tinubu not appropriated for himself or for his friends, or for members of his family?

The 2011 election cycle saw Tinubu, the master political predator at his most ravenous. He selected his wife for the Senatorial seat in Lagos Central, after mysteriously deleting her greatest opposition Dapo Durosinmi Eti of the Labour Party from the ballot. He forced Dr. Mamora, who was reported as one of the most effective members of the National Assembly out of office, and replaced him with Mr. Gbenga Ashafa, a former Director General Lands.

Lagosians were filled with consternation after the October 2012 Local Government elections as Tinubu challenged PDP victories in several locations including Badagry, Lagos Mainland, Epe, Eredo, Agbado Oke-Odo (Alimosho), Somolu and Ikoyi-Obalende. Even when the results were announced declaring PDP candidates victorious at polling sites or where votes were counted in open court, with PDP scoring the higher votes, Ahmed somehow snatched the victory from the Peoples Democratic Party retaining control of all the Local Government Chairmanship positions in Lagos State for himself, and his defunct party, ACN.

Imposing his daughter as the Head of the Market Women Association of Nigeria is considered as part of his power game. He had control of the late head of market women in the person of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, and he was not about to lose control of that office. But there is a more pragmatic reason why Tinubu could not afford to let the office of Iyaoloja out of his control. This ACN administration has done more harm to market men and women than any in the history of Lagos. Markets have been demolished with no alternative location for the stall owners. New markets are built and the former owners are unable to buy or pay the new rent. The new markets built in Lagos are reserved for business cronies of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who obviously can afford to pay the exorbitant prices of market shops these days.

The pertinent questions are these; how has Tinubu been able to get away with this blatant abuse of market men and women in the state? Could the ACN have enjoyed the support of the market traders association in the 2011 elections in spite of the punishment they have suffered in the hands of the ACN? This explains why Tinubu desperately needs to keep his daughter in place as the head of the market women. Consider these facts; Alhaja Mogaji was already in her 90’s in 2008 when ACN began its clandestine market renewal project. Clearly the old lady was no longer in charge of the day to day running of the Market Association. She was not the one who approved the heartless policy of exploiting the markets.

Nwaneri J. Emeka wrote in from Caggrey Concepts Ltd.
17 -11 -2013