Why I Withdrew From Mainland House Of Reps Primary—LADO …Says The Cost Of Insisting On Justice Might Be Too Much For Me And My Supporters In Mainland Local Govt

“The cost of insisting on justice at this stage might be too much for me and a lot of my supporters in Lagos Mainland Local Government to bear Accordingly, I hereby withdraw. Alaafia O!”

Hon Adekanye Oladele, popularly known as LADO by his supporters has described his withdrawal from the Mainland House of Representatives holding today as a last minute effort to save himself and teeming supporters from looming catastrophe.

LADO in an emotional laden write-up to the state Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said he decided to withdraw from the race because the process was fraught with irregularities that can’t stand the rest of legal scrutiny.

The former lawmaker who urged his supporters not to bother to go to the venue of the primary today, said he decided to withdraw for a peace to reign because the cost of insisting on justice given the brazen manner the whole process went might be too cost for him and his teeming supporters in Mainland local government.

The statement read in parts; “ This is to notify all stakeholders in our party, the APC (National, State, Local Government and Ward) of my decision to withdraw from contesting the forthcoming House of Representatives Election which is slated to hold on Friday, 27th of May, 2022.My name is Hon. Adekanye Rufus Oladele, a former two-time Chairman of Lagos mainland Local government and also a former Member of Lagos State House of Assembly.I decided to run for the House of Representatives Election for the following reasons I considered the House of Representatives platform a bigger platform through which I could continue my invaluable contributions to the development of Lagos Mainland, Lagos State, Nigeria and Humanity as a whole, having operated creditably in lesser capacities before now.“I heeded the call of majority of our APC Members in Lagos Mainland Local Government who believe I possess what it takes to function in the capacity of their representative in the Federal House of Representatives.“Furthermore, and this is really critical, the assurance of our Party Leadership in constantly guaranteeing a free and fair process all through the Electioneering period in the APC (especially having made aspirants pay through their noses!) also was a goading factor in participating as an aspirant to date.“And so, I threw my “hat in the ring”, consequent upon the above listed considerations, among some others. The good news is that ever since I took this decision and majority of our people in Lagos Mainland APC got wind of this , they have received the decision with unbelievable interest and support and even at the risk of sounding immodest, I became almost instantly a leading contestant for House of Representative in Lagos Mainland APC.But the issue now is; what has changed? “Clearly what has changed is the fact that the party has refused to uphold the oft-repeated assurance that a free and fair exercise would be conducted all through. Rather, the Party Leadership has decided to compromise the process to suit their preferred aspirants and thereby make a mess of the entire process.“And before one is accused of making averments without substantiating with facts, I posit, as follows;“Based on where Parties have found themselves unable to use Statutory Delegates as part of the electoral college viz-a-viz the planned primary election, and only left to make do with elected adhoc delegates (five state delegates and five local government delegates) for the said primaries, everybody was set to prepare accordingly.“But it is an open secret that NO ADHOC DELEGATE ELECTION HELD in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area between the 16th- 18th of May, 2022 in accordance with the electoral acts stipulations (Video Recordings, Pictures and Reports by INEC Agents who came as observers in all the wards support this claim). “Also I believe that deciding, at this stage, to withdraw and communicating same to our supporters, will help in informing them accordingly and that they do not even need to be present at the venue (just being communicated to us this morning! ) let alone formenting any trouble under the guise of expressing their disgust at the Compromised Process. “This is in consonance with my belief that violence must be eschewed by all means even as participants in politics! This is therefore to also thank my supporters with regards to my planned House of Representatives Election bid in Lagos Mainland and to plead with them to take my decision with great understanding. This is one occasion where I have chosen the PATH OF PEACE even when I know, as the legendary Raggae Star Peter Tosh has pontificated, several years ago, that JUSTICE SHOULD PRECEED ATTAINMENT OF PEACE. “The cost of insisting on justice at this stage might be too much for me and a lot of my supporters in Lagos Mainland Local Government to bear Accordingly, I hereby withdraw.Alaafia O!”Below is the full statement.Hon Adekanye Rufus OladeleNo.1 Okeolu Street, Iponri Ebute-Metta.Lagos State.All Progressive Congress.Lagos State Chapter.Plot 11, Acme Road,Ogba.Lagos State.NOTIFICATION OF WITHRAWAL FROM APC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRIMARY ELECTION IN LAGOS MAINLANDThis is to notify all stakeholders in our party, the APC (National, State, Local Government and Ward) of my decision to withdraw from contesting the forthcoming House of Representatives Election which is slated to hold on Friday, 27th of May, 2022.My name is Hon. Adekanye Rufus Oladele, a former two-time Chairman of Lagos mainland Local government and also a former Member of Lagos State House of Assembly.I decided to run for the House of Representatives Election for the following reasons I considered the House of Representatives platform a bigger platform through which I could continue my invaluable contributions to the development of Lagos Mainland, Lagos State, Nigeria and Humanity as a whole, having operated creditably in lesser capacities before now.I heeded the call of majority of our APC Members in Lagos Mainland Local Government who believe I possess what it takes to function in the capacity of their representative in the Federal House of Representatives.Furthermore, and this is really critical, the assurance of our Party Leadership in constantly guaranteeing a free and fair process all through the Electioneering period in the APC (especially having made aspirants pay through their noses!) also was a goading factor in participating as an aspirant to date.And so, I threw my “hat in the ring”, consequent upon the above listed considerations, among some others. The good news is that ever since I took this decision and majority of our people in Lagos Mainland APC got wind of this , they have received the decision with unbelievable interest and support and even at the risk of sounding immodest, I became almost instantly a leading contestant for House of Representative in Lagos Mainland APC.But the issue now is; what has changed? Clearly what has changed is the fact that the party has refused to uphold the oft-repeated assurance that a free and fair exercise would be conducted all through. Rather, the Party Leadership has decided to compromise the process to suit their preferred aspirants and thereby make a mess of the entire process.And before one is accused of making averments without substantiating with facts, I posit, as follows;Based on where Parties have found themselves unable to use Statutory Delegates as part of the electoral college viz-a-viz the planned primary election, and only left to make do with elected adhoc delegates (five state delegates and five local government delegates) for the said primaries, everybody was set to prepare accordingly.But it is an open secret that NO ADHOC DELEGATE ELECTION HELD in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area between the 16th- 18th of May, 2022 in accordance with the electoral acts stipulations (Video Recordings, Pictures and Reports by INEC Agents who came as observers in all the wards support this claim). The only legally acceptable option for the party, given this situation, would have been to forge a consensus candidacy from amongst the aspirants but I dare say, up till now, a day to the election, no effort towards that direction, has been made! Generating fictitious names and handing over same to preferred aspirants as delegates on eve of the election, as one is just being informed now is clearly illegal (see electoral act provisions), morally unconscionable and politically unacceptable. How is it defensible that few hours to election, even aspirants do not know the delegates that will participate in the elections? To be sure, the electoral acts stipulates a minimum of seven (7) days for the list of delegates to be available with the INEC.Being a Party man to the core therefore, out of other options that are open to me given all these anomalies, I have decided to WITHDRAW my participation in the awkward and palpably illegal process being foisted on the party membership and Aspirants.I do not want to join the party membership in perpetrating any illegality. All efforts before now to explain this to the Party has been rebuffed because of desperation by the party to impose otherwise preferred aspirants.Also I believe that deciding, at this stage, to withdraw and communicating same to our supporters, will help in informing them accordingly and that they do not even need to be present at the venue (just being communicated to us this morning! ) let alone formenting any trouble under the guise of expressing their disgust at the Compromised Process. This is in consonance with my belief that violence must be eschewed by all means even as participants in politics! This is therefore to also thank my supporters with regards to my planned House of Representatives Election bid in Lagos Mainland and to plead with them to take my decision with great understanding. This is one occasion where I have chosen the PATH OF PEACE even when I know, as the legendary Raggae Star Peter Tosh has pontificated, several years ago, that JUSTICE SHOULD PRECEED ATTAINMENT OF PEACE. The cost of insisting on justice at this stage might be too much for me and a lot of my supporters in Lagos Mainland Local Government to bear Accordingly, I hereby withdraw.Alaafia O!Adekanye R. Oladele (LADO) APC House of Representatives Aspirant Lagos Mainland,