Unlike the Juniper tree that grows across neighbourhood lawns and feeds the residents poisonous berries, Coca Cola Nigeria has offered its sturdy branches, fruits and all, to feed the governorship ambition of Babajide Sanwoolu.
Forget its apolitical posturing, Nigeria’s biggest manufacturer of carbonated soft drink , Coke, may have tacitly thrown its weight behind Sanwoolu, the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Lagos State. Believed to already enjoy strong political backing as the anointed of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which translated to his smooth victory in the primary elections, Babajide now enjoys institutional support. And rightly so too.
Ever since Coke started the much talked about “Share a Coke” campaign, thirsty fans across Nigeria have been clamoring to find their names on bottles of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero. Some have struck gold, while others have left the store empty-handed. But Today, unlike other names, Coca Cola ‘shares’ his full campaign name, Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu. It has been celebration galore in the camp of Sanwoolu.
However, few days ago, precisely, November 18, the gloves went off for the 2019 presidential campaigns with the leading candidates of political parties unveiling their grandiose manifestoes. While the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, unveiled his controversial ‘Next Level’ roadmap, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, standard bearer, released a policy document that contains what he describes as his vision for a prosperous Nigeria under his campaign slogan, Get Nigeria Working Again. The presidential election holds February 16, 2019.
Conversely, campaigns for governorship and state houses of assembly are expected to commence December 1st in accordance with Section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) which states, “the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.” However, the APC candidate in Lagos, Babajide Sanwoolu, has loomed large in the state’s political horizon. All over the state, his in-your-face publicity materials loom large. He has also been making a lot of public appearances and meeting different stakeholders across the state all of which are elaborately reported in the media.
The story is not the same with his main opponent, Jimi Agbaje, of the PDP. Except for dour, uninspiring posters across negligible areas around the state, periodic posts on his social media pages and media interviews, a random sampling conducted by this newspaper indicates that Agbaje, a perennial aspirant, has carried on like he is not even interested in the campaigns. Across social media platforms, questions continue to be raised about the preparedness or otherwise of Agbaje with not a few positing that he is allowing his main challenger too much grounds with his laidback and listless approach to a seat that has eluded him since he first came out in 2007, a time when many agree that he ran a beautiful and far-reaching campaign. At the time, he was just 50years old. Now at 61, is age fast catching up with Jay Kay as he is also known? Or, has he inwardly conceded defeat in a race where he is supposed to be the candidate to beat? The posers abound.
Another inside source said for now, Jay Kay is reaching out to friends and associates to raise funds for his campaign considering the mammoth war-chest of the APC. Though a successful businessman in his own right; add to that the fact that his immediate younger brother, Segun, is the Group MD of banking behemoth, Guaranty Trust Bank; the Agbaje campaign organisation needs billions of naira if it is serious about wresting Lagos State from the viselike grip of the APC, and, indeed, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Unfortunately, the source disclosed further that not much is being expected from the PDP which is concentrating efforts and resources on the presidential election. So, those who expressed fears about Agbaje’s ability to raise enough money to successfully prosecute his dreams are not wide of the mark. Despite the tottering, lethargic start, whether Agbaje would rev up his campaign machinery in the days ahead – billions or no – remains to be seen.
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