Why Ikuforiji Will Be Lagos APC Governorship Candidate In 2015 Election …Tinubu Dumps Ganiyu Solomon, Femi Hamzat, Others

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not just a political figure in Nigeria today; he is seen as a master strategist, who has perfected the art of politicking in his own way.

He was able to survive the hurricane that swept through the entire South western part of the country in 2003, when other states were taken over by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the then Action Congress (AC), through what many people believe was borne out of foresight.

It is no longer news that most of the public office holders in the entire south west, including Governors got to office today with the backing of Tinubu, who was Governor of Lagos State for eight years between 1999 and 2007.

One of his political sons, who happen to be the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. (Hon.) Adeyemi Ikuforiji is being touted as another person that will get to a top office through the support of Asiwaju Tinubu.

Ikuforiji is said to be the anointed candidate of the Lord of Bourdillon as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is fondly called, for the position of Governor of Lagos State in 2015.

While this is being denied by some sources close to Ikuforiji, some are saying that the exalted office of the Governor of Lagos State is the next port of call of the Epe-born lawmaker.

First Weekly got a top revelation last week, which pointed to the fact that Asiwaju Tinubu may support Ikuforiji for the office under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015, when the incumbent Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola must have served his constitutionally recognized two terms of office.

According to the grapevine, Ikuforiji, who is being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a Federal High Court over issues bordering on money laundering, has earned the trust of Jargaban Borgu as Tinubu is also called over the years.

A source disclosed to us that the whole thing is traceable to an incident that occurred in the second term of Tinubu after Ikuforiji became the Speaker of the House in 2005.

The source, who did not specifically disclosed the year the incident happened, said that Ikuforiji was invited by a powerful force in the country then to do something about impeaching Tinubu from office as Governor as he was alleged to be a torn in the flesh of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“What we learnt was that Ikuforiji was invited to Abuja by an elder statesman in the south western part of Nigeria. Those who were there told us that the man offered to give Ikuforiji a large sum of money if only he could mobilize other lawmakers in the Assembly to impeach Tinubu from office as governor then. But rather than accepting the money, Ikuforiji told them he would think about it and he came back to Lagos and went to see Asiwaju about the matter and even promised to be more loyal to him as the leader of the party and a statesman that should be leaned upon,” said the source.

It was gathered that this endeared Ikuforiji to the hearts of Asiwaju Tinubu, which is why he has continued to see him as a worthy follower, who should be compensated in due course. One of the ways he has reportedly done this was to ensure Ikuforiji returned to office as Speaker of LSHA for the third time in 2011 despite all oppositions to such a move.

Now, the next plan of Tinubu, our source stated, is to do all within his means to put Ikuforiji forward as the Governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos State 2015 as this is said to be the covenant he had with the man years back.

Sources close to the two gladiators stated that Asiwaju Tinubu is trying to bid his time on the matter, but that arrangement is on-going to ensure the plan scales through, when the time comes for campaign.

Our informants in the corridors of power in the state said that Ikuforiji is being persecuted by some forces in the party, who are privy to the plan of Tinubu, which was why the EFCC was allegedly invited to look into the books of the house of assembly.