Fuad Laguda emerges as the APC candidate for the Surulere Federal Constituency 1 bye-election

…As controversy trails the flagbearer of the Labour Party

Fuad Kayode Lagida has won the APC primary election for the Surulere Federal Constituency 1 bye-election, securing all thirty available votes at the primary election held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere. The Chairman of the primary election committee, Mr. Yusuf Bala Yakubu, declared that other aspirants, including Kabir Lawal, Raheem Owokoniran, and Jamila Omobolanle, did not score any votes.

The bye-election aims to replace former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, who resigned his membership of the 10th House of Representatives on June 14 to take up an appointment as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

After being declared the winner, Hon Fuad Laguda stated that his victory is for the entire constituency and promised to follow in the footsteps of the former Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, in representing them.

On the other hand, the Labour Party in Surulere is embroiled in a crisis over the alleged conduct of the party’s primary that produced Eng Kehinde Alusi. In a statement signed by Adebowale Adekunle, the party’s chairman in Surulere, Imolede Josiah, claimed to be unaware of the exercise, which he described as a sham. He accused the state Chairman of the Labour Party, Olumide Adesoyin, and Abayomi Arabambi of deliberately denying members the right to choose their candidate. Imole Josiah accused them of receiving three hundred million naira from the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, to work against the party’s interests during the bye-election.

The bye-election is scheduled for February 3, 2024.