Kunle Adelabu
The former aspirant for the chairmanship position in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, has stated that he is still the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the council.
He clarified that he only expressed his interest to contest for the council’s Chairmanship position, but that he has not contested for it as stipulated in the party’s constitution.
Otunba Tijani spoke with THE IMPACT at the APC Secretariat in Ikorodu North LGA on Tuesday, in response to the allegation in some quarters that he has automatically relinquished his chairmanship position of the party in the LGA and at the Divisional level.
“The party constitution is clear about any party officer that want to hold any executive position. The constitution says that you cannot run the party office concurrently with an executive position in the government. By implication, you must have won an election and thereafter relinquish the party’s position.
“It says that you cannot run concurrently and not that you cannot contest. The constitution didn’t say that you cannot contest while you are the party chairman.
“You must have won an election before you leave your position as party executive. Don’t forget that during the days of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the state chairman was the Governorship candidate and the National Chairman was the Presidential candidate.
“It is clear that you cannot run the two concurrently and that has not happened, because I only signify interest in the chairmanship position but I have not contested for the position. The money spent is meant for the party and that is my own palaver”, Otunba Tijani said while clarifying his position.
The party chairman said that he is more interested in the party than being in the government, and also added that he had to drop out of the race after realizing that young party members that are also aspiring are capable of managing the council.
“I actually wanted to contest but after considering many things, I decided to give peace a chance and I dropped my ambition. This, coupled with the fact that I feel that those in the race can do it the way I would have done it, I just allow it to go and return to the party.
“I am more interested in the party than the government. That is why I have chosen to return to the party. Initially, my intention is not to allow some funny people to be in the position of administering the council and if you are there and you do not signify interest, before you know it, those that are not as good as you are will occupy the office and you will be regretting it.
“But when I saw the list of the contestants, I said to myself that these are fine guys that can do it. Some of them were my students when I was teaching and I decided to withdraw”, he added.
While also explaining that the directive that anyone holding position within the party should before contesting for an election is to ensure fairness, Otunba Tijani added that he is still within the stipulation that such resignation should be done 30 days before the election.
“In the election guidelines and for the sake of fairness and equity, I am expected to resign as a party chairman if I am contesting for an election because there is no way that such a person will not be involved in the process and for you to resign, you have 30 days to the election to do so.
“In this case, the election is coming up in July, so, I am still within the time stipulated.”
The APC chairman in Ikorodu North LCDA also denied resigning his position before he signified interest to run for the council chairmanship position, but that he only delegated the responsibility of signing the party’s nomination forms for aspirants, including himself, since he cannot sign for himself.
“I have not resigned but only stepped aside since I cannot sign my own nomination form by myself, which is why I gave the responsibility out.
“So, I have not contested any election but I only signified interest and the constitution did not say that once you signified interest that you should leave office. I have not contested in election, so, what then is the problem?”, he asked rhetorically.
