Senatorial Race: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Dilemma Over Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire as the Preferred Candidate Failed to Submit Form

HighLife

It is neighbourhood gossip, not editorials, that begins with the phrase, “Wonders shall never end!” Nevertheless, some scenarios call for the declaration of the endlessness of wonders, especially the kind of relatable wonders that yanks the mouth open. What greater political wonder is there than to have a senatorial path opened for you while you tighten up your shoulders and refuse to walk the path?

This is one of the ways that people have taken to describe the curious event that happened between presidential aspirant and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire. According to those in the know, Tinubu went to great lengths to secure a place for Orelope-Adefulire wherein she could be the Senator representing Lagos West, but Orelope-Adefulire inadvertently decided against following through with Tinubu’s plans.

It must be said that Orelope-Adefulire has not made her intentions known to the public, other than to inform them that she intends to run for the Senate in order to represent the people of Lagos West. After this, she joined two other prominent APC aspirants, former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and Akeem Opeifa, to obtain forms that will allow them officially run the race.

The forms were expected back at the APC headquarters for screening. However, only Obanikoro and Opeifa returned their forms after filling them. The form of Orelope-Adefulire, for whatever reason, was nowhere to be found. Until the form submission date zoomed past and screening was conducted for Obanikoro and Opeifa, Orelope-Adefulire did not show up. Thus, it became clear to everyone that she was not interested in the position anymore or someone or something else had convinced her otherwise.

Whichever the case, her decision to draw back has some implications. But these implications are not very clear at the moment. However, it is sure that Tinubu’s gesture, which was inadvertently rubbed into his face, missed the mark this time.