Political Hurricane, Supo Sasore Positioned To Come Out Top In Lagos APC Guber Primary As Other Aspirants Splinter Influences To Stop Asiwaju Tinubu’s Favourite, Akinwunmi Ambode

The man dubbed political hurricane- based on the manner of emergence and rapidly growing groundswell support – Olasupo Sasore appears positioned to come out top in the ongoing intense battle over who becomes the flag bearer of the All Progress Congress in Lagos state.

The party has a strong grip on the politics of the state and it is taken in many quarters that whoever becomes the APC candidate succeeds incumbent party man, Babatunde Fashola.

Major voice in the affairs of the party – and the government, former Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is believed to favour ex Accountant General of Lagos, Akinwnmi Ambode to clinch the ticket.
But judging from the arrays of the former state chief executive’s loyalists contending for the same post, it appears the voice of Asiwaju has lost weight.

His list of acolytes that includes Speaker of the state House f Assemble, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, ex Commissioners, Leke Pitan and Tola Kasali, Tayo Ayinde and Adetokunbo Wahab – including individual who has overtime carefully tailored a coat of a man of his own will, Senator Ganiyu amongst others refused to step down for the anointed aspirant.

They demand a free and fair primary election for the most popular candidate to win.

Insiders revealed this development is fast turning out the gains of incumbent governor widely applauded as performer and mascot of the APC home and abroad, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

He is said to be backing the emergence of the man dubbed Hurricane Sasore.

Sasore a legal mind like Fashola arrived the contest in the tail end, far later than any other, but has dwarfed the acceptance and popularity of almost all.

The combination of the appeal of his backer and the personal track record of the former Attorney General of Lagos is said to have paved way for endless stream of support ad endorsements.

Before the emergence of Sasore, Governor Fashola had thrown weight behind his Commissioner for Works, Femi Hamzat.

Sources claim the choice of was a result o the latter’s indepth grasp of the issues as relating to governing Lagos state and continuing the celebrated legacy of Governor Fashola.

But political machinations of religion and ethnic – which favoured Asiwaju’s preferred candidate, Ambode – were employed as tool to question is eligibility to contest. A political question mark was created against his person, but he refused to back down.

With Hamzat still in the race, a candidate that fulfilled all conditions down to Lagos roots – with added value of appellation, Lagos lover to his name, Olasupo Sasore emerged.

Revelations later surfaced the former Attorney General actually the first choice of Governor Fashola.

‘The Governor knew whoever he brings, whatever the credentials ways to disqualify would be sought- as long as the person is not Tinubu’s candidate…so he employed the option of utilising his two best candidates to achieve his aim…and the result is what you are seeing’ a source divulged.

More revelations revealed there are strong possibility the two candidates work together to achieve common goal, with Sasore who enjoys more immense popularity and acceptance becoming the beneficiary.

Findings revealed his main contender Ambode does not enjoy the possibility of such a gain.

Peep into the camp of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his chosen aspirant revealed challenging attempt to contain internal strife and protests from loyalists turned challengers.

Unlike Fashola, political leader Bola Tinubu is alleged to have given the go ahead – taken as backing – for the other loyalists to seek the APC ticket only to turn around with a preferred choice from nowhere, and this is why Ambode’s candidature is being buffeted by strident oppositions from within an insider disclosed.

‘It is a case of protests of betrayal and attempts to avert situation that might greatly reduce their political value’ another insider revealed.

Further revelations while the Asiwaju Tinubu loyalists turned aspirants continue to bicker and strive for ways to stop their principal’s favourite’s, their influence splinters the more – and helps positioned Sasore to carry the day as he becomes more popular.

A deep source claimed the situation is such that as things stand, some of the other aspirants are already in ’trading support talks’ with Sasore to safe guard their interest, while at the same time achieving the objective of stopping Ambode.

Here is a peep into the personal background political hurricane Sasore is leveraging on to garner groundswell support by the day ‘Olasupo Shasore, SAN (born 22 January 1964) is a legal practitioner. He is a Litigation Partner at Ajumogobia & Okeke, a leading commercial law firm in Nigeria. He was Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State from 2007 – 2011. Shasore is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He currently serves as Chairman, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution Committee of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Shasore led the Lagos delegation to the 2014 Nigerian National Conference. At the conference, the delegation made a case for a ‘special status’ for Lagos. The delegation also canvassed and achieved consensus on several recommendations:

to restructure federal revenue allocation to create an increased distributable pool of funds for the states from the Federation account;
to devolve legislative and executive power to sub-national level;
to create State Police Jurisdiction.

Shasore has authored three books:

Possessed – A History of Law & Justice in the Crown Colony of Lagos (2014)
Commercial Arbitration – Arbitration Law & International Practice in Nigeria (Lexis Nexis 2011) Johnson & Shasore
Jurisdiction & Sovereign Immunity in Nigerian Commercial Law (Practice and text book) (NIIA 2007

Shasore was born in Lagos Island, Lagos in 1964. His father Taoheed Olakunle Adio Shasore was a diplomat and Africa policy expert, who later became Chief The Shasore of Lagos of 8 Sasore Court, Lagos Island. His mother Bilkis Oladoyinbo Adufe was a civil servant and a businesswoman.

Shasore started his education at Christ Church Cathedral Primary School, Lagos in 1968. He completed his primary education at Broadfields Primary School, Middlesex, England in 1974, and thereafter started his secondary education at Orange Hill Grammar School, Middlesex, England. He graduated from Federal Government College, Lagos in 1980 with his West African School Certificate – Grade 1. He attended Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos from 1980 – 1981. Shasore graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife in 1986. He earned a Master of Law (LLM) from the University of Lagos in 1990.

Olasupo Shasore served as Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State from 2007 – 2011. As Attorney General, he led the review of the Criminal Code Law, and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law. He also authored and issued the first Prosecutors’ Guidelines (2011), and initiated the first African Regional Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP).

During his time as Attorney General of Lagos, Shasore chaired the Mortgage and Property Law Reform Committee, which produced and recommended the Mortgage & Property Law (2009). He also authored the Home Ownership and Mortgage Policy (2011). As Chairman of the Lagos Home Ownership Scheme (Lagos HOMS), he oversaw the development of two hundred homes per month for mortgage-assisted purchase for the people of Lagos. Shasore also initiated the policy and crafted the tenant friendly Tenancy Law of Lagos State, to balance the inequality between landlords and tenants.

As Chairman and later Vice-Chairman of the Lagos State Procurement Agency (State Tenders Board) between 2007 – 2011, Shasore supervised the award and execution of all major infrastructure and capital projects in Lagos State, providing roads, hospitals, schools and housing.

Olasupo Shasore was called to the Nigerian Bar on 22 October 1987. He became a member of the Inner Bar and was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2006. He is a member of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria, and a Notary Public for Nigeria. Shasore leads the Commercial Litigation & Arbitration practice group at Ajumogobia & Okeke. Over the course of his career, he has acted as counsel in a number of leading decisions of the Court of Appeal in Nigeria and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Over the course of his career, he has received several appointments, including:

President, Lagos Court of Arbitration
Chairman, Lagos State Waterways Authority
Chairman, Lagos State Law Reform Commission
Chairman, Lagos State Executive Council Committee on Power
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Chairman, National Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Reform Committee (2012)
Chairman of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Section on Business Law, Nigerian Bar Association
Member, London Court of International Arbitration, Africa User Group
Member, International Bar Association
Member, Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria
Member, Nigerian Society of International Law and International Association of Prosecutors
Member of panel of experts – Panel of Recognized International Market Experts (PRIME)
Member, Advisory Committee – International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA)

Olasupo Shasore has been married to Gbemisola Shasore (née Shonola-Soyinka) since 1993. Mrs. Shasore is a public relations practitioner and an event management consultant. She has had a notable career in charity and non-governmental work as President, International Women’s Association; Charter Member, Zonta International; Chair, Access to Knowledge Ltd GTE. Their marriage is blessed with three children.

Shasore is a regular worshipper at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos (Anglican Communion). He has served on the Church’s History Committee and is a member of the Cathedral Standing Committee.’