02/08/2025
2027 Governorship race: Badagry Stakeholders launch second appeal
As the political stage gather momentum, across the nation among political parties and other interest groups for 2027 general election. Badagry stakeholders in a bid to gain support to produce the next Governor of Lagos state has launched a second appeal to President Bola Tinubu GCFR, APC Lagos state and GAC Lagos.
The open letter with the caption, "Badagry for Governor 2027 II, Special appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, APC Lagos and GAC Lagos",reads
"In reminiscence of Mr. President’s now votive phrase, ‘Emi Lokan’ (it’s my turn), which has become a political mantra that encapsulates Mr. President as a symbol of justice, equity, and fairness, The Badagry Stakeholders, formerly (Concerned People of Badagry) once again, through this open letter, hereby appeal to Mr. President, APC Lagos, and the revered body of Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC) to consider the supplication of Badagry Division, particularly Badagry Local Government Area or Badagry Federation, to produce the next Governor of Lagos State come 2027.
The diagrams below, which were first published in The Nation’s newspaper edition of June 12, 2025 provide a vista that justifies Badagry Division’s appeal and advocacy to produce the next Governor of Lagos State. This special appeal is borne out of the need for fairness, justice and equity in the fair distribution of political offices in Lagos State, where Badagry Federation has been an orphan left in the cold. Since the creation of Lagos State, Badagry Federation has virtually nothing worthwhile in terms of high profile political appointments to show that it belongs to the entity called Lagos State. This is not saying that top political positions/offices have not been zoned to Badagry Division by the ruling party but Badagry Federation, since the creation of Lagos State, is yet to benefit any. It’s like the case of the proverbial Head being reduced to the Tail!
In the referenced publication, The Badagry Stakeholders, on behalf of the people appealed to Mr. President and the Party's leadership to consider the contributions of Badagry people to the growth and development of APC in Lagos State and their loyalty to Mr. President since 1999, and to prevail on APC Lagos, not only to zone the 2027 Governorship position to Badagry Federation but for Mr. President to be magnanimous enough to consider qualified Badagry indigenes for top government appointments in Ministries, Parastatals and Agencies at the Federal level. We believe this noble gesture will make Badagry have a sense of belonging for the first time since the creation of Nigeria in 1960 and Lagos State in 1967. At the moment, there’s no single Permanent Secretary from Badagry Division amongst the over 40 members of body of Permanent Secretaries in Lagos State!
To demonstrate this as empirically as possible why Badagry Division deserves to produce the next Governor of Lagos State, the diagrams below speak to the extreme neglect and age-long political underdevelopment of Badagry Division in the power equation and distribution in Lagos State since 1967:
As an epitome of justice, equity and fairness, Mr. President and all Stakeholders in Lagos State will surely agree that this is an extreme incident of socio-political emasculation and marginalization. The effect of this on the economic and socio-political development of Badagry Division and its people till date finds expression in its stunted socio-economic development and rustic physical manifestation: it is still largely a rural configuration since 1967!
See table 1
Your Excellency has been a blessing to many individuals across Nigeria and even beyond. You are not only God-sent but a blessing to Nigeria as a whole. MR. PRESIDENT SIR, BLESS BADAGRY DIVISION WITH YOUR GOD-GIVEN MAGNANIMITY AND PREVAIL ON THE PARTY AND GAC TO ZONE THE 2027 GOVERNORSHIP SLOT TO BADAGRY DIVISION, we plead.
A CASE FOR BADAGRY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OR FEDERATION, HEADQUATERS OF BADAGRY DIVISION, TO PRODUCE THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE
Mr. President Sir, the Leadership of All Progressives Congress and the revered body of GAC, while we advocate for justice, equality and fairness for Badagry division, we are equally appealing to Mr. President to prevail on APC to beam its searchlight in the direction of Badagry Federation. The two diagrams below will reveal the justification for Badagry Federation (comprising of Badagry Local Government, Badagry West and Olorunda LCDAs respectively), to produce the next Governor of Lagos State.
See tables 2 & 3
The two diagrams above make it compellingly difficult for The Badagry Stakeholders to remain passive! Silence, they say, is a crime in an unjust society. The diagrams illuminate the political power/office distribution between Badagry and Ojo Local Government Areas with only the position of the State Party Deputy Chairman ever been zoned to Badagry Federation in the last 58 years while all other major political appointments and offices, both at the State and Federal levels, have always been limited to candidates in Ojo Federation, comprising of Ojo Local Government, Iba and Otto-Awori LCDAs respectively. Badagry, the capital of Badagry Division, from which all other local government areas in Badagry Division were created, seems eternally marginalised and left out of the power equation… her voice no longer heard or respected and sadly weakened under the weight of extreme intra-political marginalization.
Consequently, Badagry Federation (comprising the Ogu, Awori and the Ayonus - mixed Yoruba-speaking people) continues to suffer exclusion, curtailed influence, lack of access to opportunities and power, denied decision-making capability in the division and being relegated to a mere onlooker in the political affairs of Lagos State. The negative effect of this on the moral of Badagry people would be grave going forward unless this trend is urgently halted for the application of a more inclusive, liberal and democratic paradigms in the context of present political dynamics playing out in the division.
This is certainly not because for wont of capacity on the part of Badagry Federation that has produced an array of more human capital assets than any other community or local government in Lagos State. For instance, Badagry has produced more permanent secretaries and seasoned administrators in the public service of Lagos State; more internationally acclaimed scholars and professors in the academia; an array of high profile professionals virtually in all fields of human endeavour and a host of successful entrepreneurs that no other local government in the state equals.
Western civilization in Nigeria started in Badagry: Badagry was the first port of call for European ocean-liners and early British explorers in what later became known as Nigeria around 1825 and 1830; the British Government’s political interest in Nigeria began in Badagry as the first community in Nigeria where the Union Jack was hoisted in 1843; formal Western education in Nigeria started in Badagry in 1843; the architectural evolution in Nigeria started at Badagry with the construction of the first storey building in Badagry in 1845; the gospel of Christianity and the first Christmas celebration in Nigeria took place in Badagry in 1843. Despite its cherished attributes of recording many firsts in the annals of Nigerian history, visitors from overseas who heard or read about the historical significance of Badagry always express dismay when they arrive Badagry to behold an essentially village setting confronting them. They then begin to enquire if they have arrived Badagry or it was still ahead… they expect to see a full blown city!
Mr. President Sir, and the leadership of All Progressives Congress Lagos, the revered body of GAC, we respectfully and humbly request that you consider the following facts and be merciful to Badagry and its people this time around:
* Badagry has remained loyal to APC since 1999 when its metamorphosis started from AD in 1998, to AC in 2006, ACN in 2011 and finally to APC in 2013.
* Badagry LGA has always performed marginally better than Ojo LGA as 95% of its total votes cast at every election have always been for APC while opposition has always shared substantial part of the latter’s votes at every election.
* Badagry Federation’s loyalty and overt commitment to APC was demonstrated at the last 2023 Presidential election where Badagry was second overall in the number of votes cast for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu across Lagos State.
* Badagry, for its loyalty to APC, has never rocked the boat with the party by sponsoring or encouraging aspirants within or in the opposition party to work against the Party’s nominated candidates.
* While opposition’s influence remains dominant with strongholds in other LGs in the division, Badagry has virtually obliterated any potent influence of the opposition.
Your Excellency Sir, the Leadership of APC Lagos and the revered body of GAC, we plead with you to consider the abject economic and political position Badagry has been entangled since 1967 and make Badagry feel it belongs for the first time in the history of Lagos State. We promise to work hard, teach other local governments in the division how to surmount opposition and ensure that 95% of the total votes cast in Badagry Division will be delivered to APC come 2027!."
SIGNED FOR THE BADAGRY STAKEHOLDERS
* Hon. Olanrewaju Saka Shenayon - two-time former Lagos State Executive Council Member
* High Chief Moses Z. Ogunbiyi - former Secretary, Badagry Local Government and Apex Leader, APC Badagry Local Government
* Hon. Sejoro Samuel Whesu - former Member, Federal House of Representatives, Badagry Federal Constituency
* Hon. (Mrs.) Rafeequat Arinola Onabamiro - Rtd Permanent Secretary Lagos State Public Service and former Member, Federal House of Representatives, Badagry Federal Constituency
* Alhaji Mustapha Dada - one of APC Apex Leaders in Badagry
* Mr. Kamorudeen Ajape - former Secretary to Badagry Local Government
* Babatunde Olaide-Mesewaku (PhD) - Rtd Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Public Service and Secretary-General, The Badagry Stakeholders
