ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU.
(I am trying to Breath)
The Jagaban as all your folks and followers will love to call you. I salute you sir. I am not making this post or write up to rub your name in the mud, or slander you sir. But after trying all possible means to get what belongs to me and fails, I am left with this option. I know that many people will say, This small ant dare venture to mention Jagaban, he is a goner, he is finished, it's OK by me, I know the implication of this before going ahead, but just have a second thought, how old was Baba Awolowo and great Zik of Africa when they fought for our independence, damning all consequences.
I ve decided to take my future in my hands and should death come knocking, I am not too young nor too old to answer the call of The one True God.
My name is ALFRED OLAYEMI THOMAS ( AOT).I am an APC member of Surulere constituency ii. It was in 2018,following series of calls from some Christianity spiritual leaders for Christians to come out en mass and contest for political offices, giving different reasons why we need to come out, coupled with the fact that The BUHARI(GCFR) lead administration signed THE NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN BILL. So I decided to give politics a try, hoping it was time for a change in our country.I decided to contest for Federal House of Reps. , as that was the only position filled by a PDP member, so I thought it will be an opportunity to get the position back for the APC. I immediately consulted some political stake holders in the constituency I belong and decided to run for the election. Though I was a business man, an agro exporter by profession and also a transporter.
During the cause of electioneering, I was able to put up a campaign team, with the help of my CWC made up of 5 notable and Eminent politicians from our constituency ( Surulere constituency ii ). We began campaign and I continue my consultation with party leaders and members. Though I was very careful in spending believing it will be very difficult to get the party ticket except you give your approval or anointing as it is called in politics.
But sir I stopped being careful when u called us to a stake holders meeting at ACME in August 2018 and told us that all the aspirants should go and work to win ground. You said there won't be any anointed candidate, you said and I quote sir, "TI WO BA SOPE BABA SOPE, E SOPE BABA KO SOPE". meaning if any one come to say Baba Said, we should reply Baba did not Say.
Your declaration at Acme brought joy to so many of us believing that the election process will not be tampered with or hijacked.
Immediately after we left Acme, my CWC and I decided to have a meeting and concluded that it was time to spend money without leaving any stone un turned.I finally came out in full, even after exhausting all my money, some friends rendered a help for loans, because they saw how far I worked.your declaration at Acme also gave a green light because they were all initially scared that the process will be hijacked on till your declaration cleared the way. We were 11 aspirants that came out for the position in my constituency and later to 7 aspirants.The 7 are the ones that finally bought forms. I was the youngest that came out in my constituency and most probably in the whole of Lagos as I was 35 then.
During my Campaign I was able to meet with the VP Prof on two occasions, the first time he invited those of us that contested under the Platform of NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN to The Villa, and the second time was when he invited us to an event center at Alausa through CKO.
I met The Late Senator Adebayo Osinowo (RIP), and I was also able to meet some Members of the GAC.
I made sure I touched all the look n crannies of my constituency to be able to win the sympathy of our leaders and fellow constituents.I remember I met our Former Governor and Hon Minister BRF in a plenary section at The National Assembly in Abuja. I also remember I was always on the neck of the then House of Reps Majority Leader and currently Speaker to The House Rt. Hon. Femi. You can verify from all the names I mentioned sir except from our late Senator.
I was hoping that by the time the form was to be sold, The party will give a concession to those contesting under the platform of NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN,but on reaching Abuja I was told that there was nothing of such, that I must pay the full amount of the form that happens to be Three million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira ( #3, 850,000.), it wasn't easy but I had to cough out the amount considering where I began the journey from. It was a tough one I must confess.
Sir to my surprise, after purchasing the form with my blood and last strength, preparing and waiting for the primaries, a list was later brought forward by the LCDA chair person that you already anointed someone. After hearing the news, my spirit, body and soul failed me. So it began to done on me the mess I am in for. As at that time, I have spent about sixty five million naira (#65,000,000.),about twenty five percent (25%) of the total sum happens to be a loan from my friends, family, and business associates.
Immediately I wrote a petition to The National Chairman asking who is to pay me my money since I was not allowed a fair primary election. I made sure I copied You, The President, The Vice President, The APC state Chairman, The Vice chairman central, and The State party Secretary.I Also believe that some other affected parties too followed same suit. The Response that National chairman gave was that ASIWAJU said he will handle Lagos, so who am I to insist. we were later all invited by the state party chairman for a reconciliation meeting.
His Excellency Babajide Sanwolu,Though he wasn't the governor at that time also invited some aggrieved House of Reps aspirants to water Crest Hotel at Ikeja. In the meeting I was among the six people that were allowed to speak at the meeting. I spoke about how dissapointed I was and also about the debt I found myself in due to the deceit of our party. The Governor was at the meeting with the Deputy His Excellency Obafemi Hamzat,after hearing my complain which I also gave them a copy of the petition I wrote, they knoded their heads. The Current Governor tendered an apology on behalf of the party and ASIWAJU, and said truly they were all dissapointed.
They said they heard about all that happened during the so called primaries. So The governor promised that me that we the youth will have a place in his government if he emerge the winner of the election. He also said that They are also making preparation to give us some money to cover our electioneering cost, he said though the figure is heavy, but ASIWAJU was in London, when he returns he will re invite us and tell us the amount they will be paying us. He further made a demand that we must all agree to be in His campaign team, he said since most of us will be in his government, so it will be better we work in hand with him as to lead to a collective success. That day he gave us some cash he labeled as fuel money for yielding to his call.
A week later, a friend called me from the campaign office ( The defunct ICG) at GRA Ikeja and told me my name was on the list pasted, that I have been assigned to a board with name DIRECTORATE OF VOLUNTEER. The moment I was informed, I reported to my Director Olorunoje immediately and I served there for six months, from November 2018 to May 2019 after the victory party, even after the campaign office was disbanded, my department was still running because we handled the party clothing and uniform.
I reported to the ICG for 6months without any allowance for fuel to my car, stipend or any benefit. During my time there, I made sure I contributed my quota and to the glory of God, we came out victorious. The Then DG that happens to be the current COS to the Governor should be able to testify my activeness at the ICG.
Before now I had a high hope that I will actively be involve in this government without any recommendation, because
1. As an aspirant
2.As a youth
3.Working at the ICG
But by now, it seem I was just being used and lied to. Like all those promises made was just to get me calm. I strongly feel been used, by the party and The Governor.
I personally went to the state party chairman to explain my plight, that my debtors are dragging me, he said I should wait till 2019 July, this is 2020 July. Borno governor, Senator Shettima, was also sent to Lagos during the reconciliation, I told him my plight, he also promise to take my case to National and promise to do something, up till now nothing.
Some Lagos GAC members like Prof. Samuel, Baba Oluwa, Former deputy Governor Baba Ayodele, and Former Deputy governor Serah Sosan just to mention a few, also called some of us to a meeting, we were about 6,I also told them my plight, they also made promises that they will tell ASIWAJU to take action, up till now nothing.
I have used all I can to beg the COS Tayo Ayinde to put me into consideration, but the more I make an appeal, it seem I am adding more fuel to the fire. I just submitted another reminder to the office of The Governor and His Deputy last week.
Sir the people I owe are still on my neck because I promised them you won't interfere in the election process,before the gave approval for their cash, so since u later interfered, it's was as if I lied to them, should I have been given a plain ground to contest the election and loss, I believe they would have understand.
Sir I am a youth, and Nigerian youth are being termed Lazy by this government, but sir how can we fly when the fathers are holding our necks to the ground. I had no sponsor or godfather, all the money I used is a hard earned money, my sweat and blood. Sir I know you want your children to be great in life, I also have three small children that depend on me and I will fail as a father if I dissapoint them.my mother and siblings are also there waiting for one support or the other. What about my relatives and fellow constituents looking up on me
Please sir what I expect from you now is no more an appointment sir but my money so as to move on with my life.
1. Electioneering cost
2. Form cost ( there was no election)
3. My entitlement at ICG for 6 months
4. The interest on the loans I took
Sir if you do all this I mentioned, then I will know that you are truly a father and a leader. Hence u make me to think otherwise sir.
Please note that should the COS have answered me, I won't have come to make my demands here sir, but yesterday I sent him a message saying the media is my last Avenue.
Should my write up or piece annoy you sir, pls do remember to tamper justice with Mercy sir. For I strive to see that no part of my piece will get you infuriated sir.
Your Political seed.
Alfred Olayemi Thomas. (AOT)
Surulere constituency ii.
Pls let's keep posting on till it gets to ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU.
just a token u can do for a friend in need.
Comments
Write a comment...