Inside Details: Why Gbenga Ashafa Has Not Shown Interest In Taking Over Senator Bayo ‘’Pepper’’ Osinowo’s Seat

Eniola Adeniyi

Insiders insist that Gbenga Ashafa has not shown any interest in returning to the Senate as the successor of the man who took over his position as Senator representing Lagos East.

Ashafa’s plan to retain his seat as Senator representing Lagos East was halted by Osinowo in the last election.

Osinowo a multiple term state lawmaker trounced Ashafa at the shadow election of the All Progressives Congress to become the ruling party’s candidate for the 2019 Senatorial election and eventually emerged the elected Senator.

Osinowo who reportedly swung the massive win against Ashafa with clandestine backing from powerful politician Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu spent just a year in office before he succumbed to the scourge of Covid-19.

Societynow.ng confirmed that a scramble for who takes over his seat within his party in Lagos East has kicked off with the date for the bye-election to determine his successor expected to be announced in days to come.

Different names have been thrown up, including that of former House of Representatives member Dayo ‘’Bush’’ Alebioshu and Tunde the son of late Senator Osinowo, but sources insist Ashafa who ordinarily should be one of the front runners has not shown any interest in the position.

‘’I can confirm he has not shown interest and is not campaigning to become the successor of his successor ‘’ a source disclosed.

Insiders attribute this development to the lessons learned from his loss to Osinowo in the heated fight to retain the ticket of the party for Lagos East Senatorial position in the last election.

‘’Ashafa is still smarting from all that played out during the primary election that he lost, the heavy opposition he faced from unexpected quarters and the shocking discovery that Asiwaju who goaded him on with talks of fair play supported Osinowo

‘’But above all, I guess the better understanding of Tinubu’s politics and sentiments about fighting to succeed his successor who died untimely are the factors holding his hand…Campaigning to succeed the man who defeated him in the prevailing circumstances would be considered in bad faith, even in the brand of politics practiced in Nigeria’’ a source disclosed to Societynow.ng.