.HOW THE TITANIC BATTLE WILL GO ON SATURDAY 16TH FEBRUARY
As things stand now, one of the keen battle grounds in the Lagos House of Representatives race, will be the Oshodi/Isolo (2) Federal Constituency seat. The race has six staunch contestants battling to replace the incumbent Hon. Tony Nwulu, who is currently vying for the governorship of Imo State under the United Progressives Party, (UPP). In the race are, Mr. Chijioke Amobi, APGA, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson, APC, Barrister Leo Ikeagwu, ADC, Mr. Emmanuel Ugochukwu Nnodim, PDP, Barr. Chimaobi Adiele, UPP, and Mr. Emeka Udeagu, AD. Below is an analysis of how the polls will likely go this Saturday…
CHIJIOKE AMOBI (APGA)
He contested the primaries of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, with a more popular dude, Ifeany Ethelbert Gabriel popularly called Finbars. He was a surprise winner as most people thought that Finbars, would have won the ticket. From Anambra State, Chijioke Amobi prides himself as an aide to the Chief Whip of the Anambra State House of Assembly. Amobi has his youthful age and energy to his side as some of the advantages he is bringing into the race. He is also said to be well heeled, finance wise. Insiders however say that APGA, his platform, is not too popular in the Oshodi/Isolo area. Chijioke Amobi’s campaign train has also not been very visible except for his banners and posters across the constituency.
ENGR. GANIYU ABIODUN JOHNSON (APC)
Engineer Ganiyu Johnson of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has emerged as the man to beat in the race. He is politically savvy, rich and well rooted in the grass roots. Engr. Johnson is the most visible among the candidates and has physically met with almost all interest groups in the constituency. He has several things going for him outside his momentous campaign, one of which is the determination of the Yorubas to wrest back the Oshodi/Isolo seat from the non-indigenes. The fact that he is also the lone Yoruba candidate among a plethora of others is making his chances brighter by the day. Apart from the Ajao Estate axis where he might struggle with votes, he is very likely to lead in other areas like Ejigbo, Ilasamaja, Isolo etc. a former Commissioner for works in Lagos and top APC chieftain, Ganiyu Johnson stands the chance to garner majority of the votes on February 16th.
BARR. LEO IKEAGWU (ADC)
In a poster war, Barrister Ikeagwu would rank among the first three contestants. Outside that, his chances are moderate. He is in not so a popular party and he also has formidable competitors in the race. His party, the African Democratic Alliance, ADC is a complete outsider both in the psyche of the political heavy weights and ordinary voters. His primary constituency, the Igbos, are not too sucked up to the party. A former patron of the South East People in APC in the Oshodi/Isolo axis, Barrister Ikeagwu dumped the ruling party to pick a ticket of the ADC. The Abia State-born knight of the Catholic Church is rich with a Street named after him in Ajao Estate. He also owns several properties in the area.
HON. EMMENUEL UGOCHUKWU NNODIM (PDP)
Ordinarily, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, would have been riding on the back of incumbency in the February, 16, 2019 Oshodi/Isolo (2) House of Reps race, but the incumbent, Hon. Tony Nwulu has since defected to United Progressive Party (UPP) and even that did not help the party much giving his scarce presence in his constituency even before he defected. They accuse him (Hon. Nwulu) of abandoning the constituency that sent him to Abuja in 2015. Worse still, Hon. Nwulu has dumped the PDP and has relocated to his native Imo State where he is vying for the governorship under the United Progressives Party, UPP. However, the PDP candidate Mr. Nnodim, is one of the most prominent contenders for the race. The hotelier and top property developer from Umudim, Imo State, is also one of the biggest nightmares to other candidates including the APC candidate, Engr. Johnson. Indeed, thebladengr.com gathers that the other contenders from the South East are been cajoled to step down for him in other to set up a proper two-way battle between the APC and the PDP though the people had consistently held this time around that the race is not about political parties but about candidates who are most capable and qualified to serve the people.
BARR CHIMAOBI ADIELE (UPP)
One of the newest entrants into the race is Barrister Chimaobi Adiele. He is a rabble-rouser who has diligently and persistently created inroads into the political blocs of the constituency. From Isiala Ngwa South LGA in Abia State, the lawyer is the biggest alternative to the Igbo voting blocs in the area and also another candidate to beat. He once claimed that his opponents were after his banners and his poster, destroying them recklessly to prevent his visibility wherein he has re-strategize on using alternative ways of making himself visible. Barrister Adiele has been reputed as the only man in the race who actually has a plan to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. Despite the paucity of his campaign materials on the streets, Barr. Adiele has stealthily interfaced with over 70 percent of the voters in the constituency on a door to door basis. It is obvious that Barrister Adiele is not a money bag like some other candidates, but he has never failed to let the people know that the race is not about sharing money and had advised voters to de-emphasize the issue of money and focus on competence. His major challenge is the political party UPP which is not well structured in the constituency.
EMEKA UDEAGU (AD)
An Economist, Mr. Emeka Udeagu is running for the Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency 11 seat of Lagos State under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) platform. The Isiukwuato, Abia State-born Udeagu despite coming under the old AD which is known to the Yorubas, is a slow runner in the February 16th poll. He practically has scanty presence as regards to campaign materials and has not even interfaced with a quarter of the political blocs in the constituency but has one advantage others do not have – maintains a close link with PFN and his Bishop is highly rooted in PFN. Being that in politics, anything can happen as it may not be out of place for Mr. Udeagu to come tops on forthcoming election. Beyond that, this prominent economist runs a printing business in the area, and all these would have helped to enrich his CV at the end of the day.
-Charles Nwagbara
