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| Hon. Babatunde Hunpe |
Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, a chairmanship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Badagry, has addressed reports circulating on social media claiming he is ineligible to be the candidate for the APC Mandate and Justice group.
In a phone conversation with News Peddlers on Tuesday, Hunpe dismissed the allegations as "political gimmicks," emphasizing that his candidacy is not an exception in Badagry.
Hunpe explained that a meeting was held on Sunday by the Mandate Movement in Badagry Local Government, involving all chairmanship aspirants. During the meeting, members were informed of a directive from the Mandate Movement in Lagos, instructing local leaders to present a single candidate for the chairmanship position.
He stated, “We were told that all aspirants should agree on one candidate, but it was acknowledged that this approach had failed multiple times in the past. Instead, the leadership proposed a voting system to select a candidate that would represent the group.”
The election took place on Monday at the Local Government Secretariat. Hunpe revealed that he was not present at the election, as aspirants were not invited. However, he later saw the results on social media, indicating that he had won the nomination.
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A report on social media criticized the nomination process, describing it as a “kangaroo nomination” and alleging a lack of transparency. The report claimed that Hon. Hunpe had initially sought candidacy through the Justice Forum by allegedly offering financial incentives to some leaders. When this attempt failed, he reportedly turned to the Mandate Movement for endorsement.
In response, Hunpe denied any wrongdoing, stating, “When I was a member of the House of Representatives and even as Special Adviser to the Governor, I never discriminated or segregated. As a member of the Mandate group, I also supported the Justice group whenever called upon because we are all part of the same party.”
He added, “It was only recently that I learned the Justice group had independently decided I was their preferred candidate. My name was submitted without my knowledge, and I had no involvement in the process. I trust in God Almighty, and I see all of this as political gimmicks.”
Hunpe further noted that similar situations are occurring in other local governments, where both the Justice and Mandate groups have nominated a single candidate. He emphasized that Badagry is no exception, stating, “It ultimately depends on how much the people believe in a candidate.”
Hon. Hunpe expressed his appreciation to both the Justice and Mandate groups for considering him worthy of the chairmanship race. He concluded, “By the special grace of God, a new Badagry will emerge.”
The controversy highlights the internal dynamics and challenges within the APC as it prepares for the upcoming local government elections in Badagry. As the situation unfolds, stakeholders are calling for transparency and unity to ensure a fair and credible electoral process.