By Musbau Rasak
The storms are gathering as the race for the various elective offices in Nigeria continues to gather momentum.
Daily, politicians have been raising up their hands, indicating their intentions to run for one office or the other.
Expectedly the race is tougher, with more intrigues and shenanigans in the All Progressives Congress (APC). This is expected: APC is the ruling party at the centre and in Lagos State: the richest, most populous albeit smallest state in the country.
The race for who represents Ikeja State Constituency I is also gathering momentum. This Constituency is very strategic. It wields enormous political power, goodwill and economic strongbase.
For those who cares to know: this is the Constituency of the state seat of power, Alausa secretariat; it is the Constituency of the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; it is the Constituency of two members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Dr Yomi Finni and Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson; and it plays host to several blue chip companies, five star hotels and the biggest and most popular Government Reserve Area (GRA) in the state, Ikeja GRA. Don’t forget also that it plays host to a police college and a military barrack. Simply put, Ikeja State Constituency I is strategic and powerful.
However, it is no gain saying therefore to note that over the years, the Constituency has had its fair share of mixed representation in the state House of Assembly since the current democratic dispensation. Between 1999 and 2007, Honourable Adeniyi Oyemade represented the Constituency; between 2007 and 2011, it was the turn of Honourable Babatunde Ogala, SAN; Rt. Hon. Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji represented this illustrious Constituency between 2011 and 2015 while the Incumbent occupier of the office, Honourable Folajimi Muhammed is serving his second term having been in the Assembly since 2015.
The race for who represents the Constituency in 2023 to 2027 is getting tougher and one man who has indicated his intention and put his hat in the ring is Dr Bode Tawak, a proven grassroots politician and experienced medical doctor, who this writer believes has the pedigree, political antecedent, professional expertise and humane nature to represent the cosntituency well.
Apart from his medical practice which he has always use to benefit people in his immediate community in Alausa, Dr Tawak is a man of the people, well loved by members of his immediate community, a man who relates well with all and sundry, irrespective of race, creed or religion.
Tawak has always been a committed Progressive and a loyal, fierce and committed follower of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tawak’s loyalty and commitment to the party ideals and supremacy was put to test in 2011.
In that year, the experienced medical doctor has toiled and put in everything he has to seek the party ticket to represent this same Constituency. He won the primary overwhelmingly. He was happy and getting ready for the election proper.
However, political exegncies and the need to balance some political equations meant then Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji had to contest the election in Ikeja.
After much deliberations, it was Tawak that had to forfeit his ticket to Ikuforiji and the rest is history.
Not a few applauded the will of Tawak to succumb to party supremacy then and his case became a reference point in the party when adherence to party supremacy is discussed.
He has gathered experience as a member of the Lagos Assembly Service Commission (LAHASCOM) and not a few will therefore dispute the fact that the Ikeja State Constituency I cap indeed fits him.
