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| * Hon Barr. Jesse Okey Joe |
By Bamidele Alao
This is the hottest news across Ejigbo LCDA, part of Oshodi/ Isolo Federal constituency 2, Lagos state.
Its current Rep, Hon Jesse Okey Joe Onuakalusi of the Labour Party made history in 2023 when he defeated ever charismatic Engr Ganiyu Johnson, a former Lagos Commissioner for works who had worked extremely hard for his reelection but lost.
Every where you went within Ejigbo from where Onuakalusi contested and won as well as Isolo, Ajao estate or Ilasamaja as at today, the gist is that the Labour Party federal rep will soon defect.
Many have told that the rep is under intense pressure to decamp to the ruling All Progressive Congress despite that he is still a staunch Peter Obi loyalist and by extension, the Labour party which gave him the platform to pull his weight as well as dutifully attending to his responsibilities at the Green chambers.
To butress this fact that Okey Joe is plotting a defections, allegations are rife that he has recently been hobnobbing with APC chieftains both at the Federal seat of power at FCT, state level at Alausa Ikeja and at constituency level suggesting that he might make the move sooner than later .
A source so close to the APC, Ejigbo claim that defection may be the best bet for the Honorable member because according to him "the Peter Obi phenomenon will not save Okey Joe from losing reelection come2027 if he ventures to seek reelection."
Continuing rather sacastically, the APC Ejigbo big wig said " he may never get another chance."
As if to buttress the above quote, the next respondent noted that "it will not be business as usual. It may be in his best interest to defect to the ruling party APC. He may be lucky,"
The next APC chieftain who spoke to ECD said "I believe he is going to defect. We are working on him to see to that. It is in his best interest.
All calls to Hon Okey Joe to confirm or deny these rumors were unanswered or unreturned.
However close sources confirmed to ECD that the UNN graduate and Barrister at law is carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders at the moment.
To remain in LP whose welfarist ideology is so suited or defect to APC the current political power broker in Nigeria.
The chief culprit in this quagmire in which Hon Onuakalusi has found himself is the myriad of problems within Labour party which first trumped up a "spoiler" like Chief Apapa and later has pitched embattled LP chairman Abure against other members of the party.
it was under Abure's leadership that many won elections.
There are many court cases and litigation so far.
Note that Hon Okey Joe is not alone in this trouble.
Many observers note that other Labour party senators, reps and Assembly men seem to be having same level of sleepless nights as to their continued stay in LP.
For ingormation purposes, Oshodi Isolo Federal constituency 2 in Lagos is one of the most liberated or republican constituencies in Lagos with a very Liberal voter interests. Few reps stay twice.
Only Hon Ajatta spent more years at the federal House.
He was unseated by Hon Omowunmi Edet after whom an underdog named Hon Tony Nwulu, an Imo state indigene won election under PDP.
All the efforts and performance of APC's Hon Ganiyu Johnson did not help him as a relatively unkonwn LP candidate Hon Okey Joe polled more votes that unseated Johnson.
