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Over Control Of The Party
In the build up to the Lagos State Local Government council elections that will be held shortly in the state, there have been a silent war between the two political caucus that formed the All Progressives Party in Lagos. The Mandate Movement (group) and the Justice Forum.
Hon. James Faleke, a former Ojodu LCDA Chairman and a ranking member of House of Representatives officially moved to the Justice Forum alongside his followers in Ikeja Federal Constituency comprising of Ikeja LG, Onigbongbo LCDA and Ojodu LCDA, a few months back in order to bring back the old glory of the movement. And also making the group a force to reckon with in the scheme of things in the state. While The Mandate Movement has Cardinal James Omolaja Odumbaku aka Baba Eto as leader. This movement is the most vibrant in the Lagos politics and it has members across the government institutions in the state.
The big news now is that, Hon. Faleke who is now the leader of Justice Forum as vowed to bring back the old glory of the group called Justice Forum and that is why the local government election in Lagos State will be crucial to make statement.
Don’t forget that,Justice Forum is one of the major caucuses in Lagos APC that has produced governors like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu ( now President Bola Tinubu) and Former Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola and currently produced the incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat. And that’s why Hon Faleke was appointed to bring back the group to there it belongs.
The party appointed Faleke in order to use his political experience and closeness to President Bola Tinubu to facilitate more political opportunities for the caucus, most especially as the Lagos local government election draws nearer.
Hon. Faleke has been doing everything possible in the last few months to return Justice Forum legacy to where it belongs, as he would ensure more political post for its members. For many years, Mandate Movement has had chunk of appointments in the state, relegating the importance of Justice Forum but that will soon change.
A few weeks back at the commissioning of the Justice Forum secretariat in Ikeja, Lagos, the group’s coordinator, James Faleke, and other Justice Forum’s leadership, including former Deputy Governor Abiodun Ogunleye, Olorunfunmi Basorun, Chief Rabiu Oluwa, Alhaji Alabi Macfoy, and Otunba Oladele Ajomale, urged members to work tirelessly, mobilize for the party, and ensure victory in the upcoming polls. They stressed the importance of avoiding the mistakes of 2023, which led to APC’s loss in the presidential election, urging a renewed commitment to the party and the group.
The event at the new secretariat, located along Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja GRA, attracted a range of party figures and leaders. The secretariat itself was described as more impressive than the party’s main office on Acme Road, Ogba, symbolizing the historical legacy of the group, which has remained a powerful political force in Lagos.
Faleke, who recently transitioned from the Mandate Group to lead the Justice Forum, expressed confidence that the group would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Lagos politics. He promised the group’s founders and leaders that they would not disappoint, assuring that the next governor of Lagos would come from the Justice Forum.
Faleke’s declaration that the next governor should emerge from the Justice Forum was met with applause, although no consensus on a candidate has been reached yet. The growing rivalry with the Mandate Group within the APC will likely intensify in the lead-up to the elections.
It has now become a big battle between the Justice Forum and the Mandate Movement as to who get what in the coming election. The movement is leaving no stone unturned because they believe their group has the juicy posts currently and would like that it to continue beyond 2025.
As at this week, the like of Baba Eto especially has been running round the state , canvassing for more members to join the Mandate Movement as against Justice Forum in order to sustain his vibrant caucus. But the next local government in the state will determine who among them is really strong and vibrant.
These two political actors have been at loggerheads over who over Ojodu Local Council Development area and other local government areas in the state. First, they have common interest, both of them want to have a grip of their areas and that hasn’t been easy for them to do without hurting themselves. In Ojodu lcda for example, Hon. Faleke wants to have his anointed candidate while Baba Eto wants continuity. Same as Ikeja. As we write the two have been in talking terms and they have become a sworn enemies over a state issue.
Impressively, Cardinal Odunmbaku has in the last four decades managed to strike an enviable balance between his spiritual calling and partisan politics. The rare gift of this consummate politician in ensuring effective mobilisation and organisation with a determined conviction to achieve success has been loudly underscored with the sobriquet of ‘Baba Eto.’ Interestingly, this sobriquet was coined by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola. Cardinal Odunmbaku was appointed Special Adviser on Grassroots Mobilisation by M.K.O Abiola in the run-up to his ill-fated ‘Hope 93’ presidential campaign. This appointment was gotten on merit by Baba Eto because of his strength of ability to effectively organise and conduct grassroots mobilisation.
