Musiliu Obanikoro’s Son, Jide Gets Party Nod To Seek House Of Assembly Ticket, As Father’s Battle To Fly Guber Flag Becomes More Intense!

Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, the son of ex minister and gubernatorial aspirant Musiliu Babatunde Obanikoro has secured the approval of his political organisation, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to vie to become one of the party’s representatives in the upcoming general elections.

The younger Obanikoro fondly called IBO ( which means Votes, a coinage of his acronyms and tribute to his large political following) is seeking to become a Lagos state house of Assemble member representing Eti Osa constituency 11.

But to achieve his aim, he needs to outpoll other contenders for same post in the party’s primaries scheduled for Saturday November 15.

And sources confirmed ‘the screening committee has given Ibo the go ahead to vie the in primaries’

Separate insiders spoken to expect him to emerge with ‘runaway victory, all things being equally’

Incidentally his father, Immediate past minister of state for defence, Musiliu Obanikor is seeking to become the Gubernatorial flag bearer of the same PDP in the upcoming elections.

And the battle to achieve his ambition just turns ‘intense’

The elder Obanikoro faces the political might of fellow party chieftain and former deputy national chairman of the PDP, Olabode George in his quest.

The politician fondly called ‘Lagos boy’ is said to prefer the candidature of another aspirant, Jimi Agbaje.

The political rival between Obanikoro and George is an open secret in political circle that – and the knowledge that the hostility runs deep (despite being the same party).

The duo had attempted to keep up
appearances of ‘one house’ in unseating grounded opposition party with vice grip on power in Lagos state, All Progresses Party.

The pretence lasted till recently held delegate congress that blew the rivalry open.

Obanikoro openly reported George to the party hierarchy for undue interference. And vowed no one can hinder his ambition.

(Here is a link for background – http://societynowng.com/Finally-Musiliu-Obanikoro-Bode-George-Blow-Usual-Fight-Over-Ex-Minister-Gubernatorial-Ambition-Open)

The manner of Bode George’s reaction further damaged the situation and a more tensed atmosphere.

Speaking to newsmen recently on qualities of the PDP wants in a the candidate of choice, Bode George stated in parts ‘..a man with sound pedigree, someone you can trace his lineage… President Jonathan said, ‘no, I don’t have any preferred candidate….As I said, this is the season of rumours; they can flex muscles. That Obanikoro resigned because the president endorsed him, is the greatest lie. ….If you have any blemish in your closet, just ease yourself out quietly. Nobody will come and cover up here; we will expose all of them to the media. The kind of person we want to put forward is someone clean because I remember that in 2007, some of these guys ran away from the Election Petition Tribunal; they couldn’t attend the Tribunal because of the tons of blemish they had in their closets.’

Research shows that Musiliu Obanikoro was the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate for the lagos gubernatorial election.

He lost the election by polling 300,000 votes compared the 800,000 votes polled by then APC candidate and incumbent governor, Babatunde Fashola.

The politicking ahead the election reached the height of mudslinging with questions therown on the lineage of Obanikoro, he was forced into publishing rebuttal that established his claims to quell speculations.

‘ that was what Bode George was making reference to with his lineage talks, the other assertions are self explanatory’.

With public spat becoming the order of the day, it is apparent the two political heavy weights are locked in a do or die political episode.