APC Picks Yakub Balogun As Replacement For Tunde Braimoh

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos

A protégé of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly in Kosofe Local Government Area, Yakub Balogun may have been picked as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming bye election to replace Hon Tunde Braimoh who died on Friday, 10 July, 2020, reports The Gazelle News.com.

For the record, Balogun was the man picked by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa as replacement for Abiodun Akhigbe who was nominated as a member of the Lagos State Audit Commission but ended up being disqualified by the House.

After the disqualification of Akhigbe, Yakub Balogun was presented to the House, cleared by the members and had his name sent to the Governor for ascent.

However, several reconciliatory moves led to Yakub’s clearance not being ascented to by the Governor and a new nominee, Alhaja Kafilat Ogbara has been cleared by the House and sworn in as member of the Audit Commission.

Now The Gazelle News.com learnt that the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given clearance for Balogun’s candidature and this medium learnt exclusively that his candidature was promoted by the Lagos Assembly Speaker.

Balogun is an Awori man from Isheri-Olowoira in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area of the State.

However, investigations by this medium revealed that Yakub’s nomination has not received the approval of all in the race to represent Kosofe State Constituency 2 after the death of Braimoh.

Investigations revealed further that the resentment against Balogun heightened further when it was learnt that it was the Speaker promoting his candidature.

The general belief is that the choice of picking replacement for Braimoh should be left with APC leaders in Kosofe not the Speaker imposing his protégé.