JUNE 2008 IKEJA BAR ELECTIONS: WHO WINS, WHO LOSES?

The most vibrant of all the branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Ikeja branch a.k.a “Tiger Branch” is in the breathless grip of a perfervid election fever. The election in question is the General Elections of the branch, slated for June 2 2008.
The inner and outer walls of the secretariat of the Tigers tell the story vividly as many contestants have turned them (the walls) into a huge canvas to paint their political portraits, via posters and bills.
As at the last official count courtesy of a curious and controversial list released on Wednesday 7th May 2008 by the out-going Secretary-General, Beckley Abioye, there are no less than twenty aspirants in the race for 10 posts.
Already petitions are flying against the Secretary-General, Beckley Abioye, who incidentally is also an aspirant in the race for Chairman, accusing him and the incumbent Chairman Niyi Idowu of fraudulent practices in the presentation of the list of candidates, a report which under the branch’s bye-laws serves as data which the electoral committee uses to screen aspirants for eligibility as candidates qualified to participate in the elections.
Under the branch bye-laws, a candidate to qualify to run in an election must be at:
(a) at least 5 years at the bar
(b) must pay his practicing fees as at when due for two years preceding the election
(c) must pay his branch dues for the two years preceding the elections
(d) must have attended the monthly meetings of the branch at least seven-times in each of the two years before the election.
A report indicating a compliance or non-compliance with these provisions of the Bye-Laws on the part of the contestants is made out by Secretary-General and to be pasted (made public) before the constitution of the Electoral Committee, a committee which is set up at the last month of the branch year which starts from July of an election year to May of the following year, a total period of eleven months.
Following complaints of bias and fraud against the preparer of the report, to wit Beckley Abioye, the Squib under took a scrutiny of the said report with the aid of geckos in high places and materials (minutes of Ikeja meetings for July 2006 to May 2007) supplied by the General Secretary himself and found out that the allegations against Abioye the Secretary were not specious. While the record exposes the eligibility inadequacies of certain candidates believed not to be in the camp of the Secretary, the same records covered the ‘sins’ of certain other candidates with false data.
As earlier indicated for year July 2006 to May 2007, the Secretary gave out minutes of the monthly meetings, eleven in all. All the minutes were adopted at the meetings, but only eight of them have attached, lists of members in attendance. The minutes of monthly meetings without these lists of attendance are for July 2006, March 2007 and May 2007.
The implication of this is that there are open records of attendance for 8 months while the records for the other three months are in special custody of the Secretary and so is not open to general scrutiny. We call these the hidden records.
SQUIB FINDINGS:
(1) CANDIDATE GBENGA AJAYI (ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL). The Abioye record indicates that Ajayi attended the 2006/2007 year meetings for 9 times. Squib discovers that in the ‘open’ records, Ajayi attended 6 times (August 2006, September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007). To make the 9 minutes recorded for him, Ajayi must have been present in the three other ‘hidden’ months (July 2006, March 2007, and May 2007).

(2) CANDIDATE S.O.A. ADESINA (TREASURER). The Abioye report showed he attended the 2006/2007 meeting, 6 times. Squib discovers that in the ‘open’ records Adesina attended only 4 times. (December 2006, January 2007, February 2007, and April 2007). To achieve the 6 meetings recorded for him, Adesina must have attended at least two of the three months with ‘hidden’ records.

(3) CANDIDATE LEYE OMITOLA (FINANCIAL SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited him with 9 meetings attendance of the 2006/2007 year. The Squib discovers that in the open records that Omitola attended 7 times (August 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007, April 2007). To make the 9 sittings recorded for him, Omitola must have attended two of the other month with ‘hidden’ records.

(4) CANDIDATE ABIOLA OKETOKI (SOCIAL SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited her with 8 meetings attendance of the 2006/2007 year. The Squib discovers via the open records of attendance, the candidate, known to be a special political darling of Secretary Abioye did not attend any of the meetings at all. Even if the candidate attended all the three months of 2006/2007 year with hidden records, she would still not have made the required number of 7 meetings attendance.

(5) CANDIDATE EMMANUAL OTOBO (SOCIAL SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited him with 8 meetings attendance of the 2006/2007 year meeting. But Squib discovers that even in the months with ‘open’ records, Otobo attended meetings 8 times (August 2006, September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007). It is rather inconceivable to imagine that a consistent meeting attender like Otobo would not be present in any of the 3 months with ‘hidden’ records

(6) CANDIDATE A. AHMED (WELFARE SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited the candidate with 9 attendance of the 2006/2007 year meetings. The Squib discovers that in the months with open records, Ahmed attended 7 times (August 2006, September 2006). To make the credited 9 meetings sittings Ahmed must have attended at least two of the three meetings with hidden records.

(7) CANDIDATE CHINWE JOY (WELFARE SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited her with 9 attendance in the 2006/2007 year. But the Squib findings show that the candidate attended only 5 meetings (September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006and February 2007). Even if the candidate attended all the 3 months with ‘hidden’ attendance records, she couldn’t have made 9 meetings, although she would qualify, since only seven meeting attendance is required

(8) CANDIDATE S. O. OMODARA (PUBLICITY SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited him with 9 attendance in the 2006/2007 year meeting but the Squib discovers that the candidate only attended 4 times (August 2006, November 2006, January 2007, April 2007). And even if he had attended the three meetings with ‘hidden’ records, his attendance would have only been 7, which qualifies him anyway.

(9) CANDIDATE LATEEF ABDUSALAM (PUBLICITY SECRETARY). The Abioye report credited him with 7 appearances in the 2006/2007 year meetings but The Squib discovers that in the “open records” the candidate only attended five meetings (August 2006, September 2006 December 2006, February 2007 and April 2007). So if the candidate attended only two of the other three meetings with hidden records, then he would easily make the 7 meeting marks credited to him.

(10) CANDIDATE TITILAYO OSAGIE (SECRETARY GENERAL). The Abioye report credited her with 9 appearances in the 2006/2007 year meetings. The Squib finds that the open records showed that she attended 8 times (August 2006, September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007, April 2007). To make the 9 attendance credited to her, the candidate must have attended at least one of the three other meetings with “hidden” attendance records.

(11) CANDIDATE ISA BUHARI (SECRETARY GENERAL). The Abioye report credited him with 9 appearances in the 2006/2007 year meetings. But the open records show that the candidate attended 7 meetings (August 2006, September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006 January 2007, February 2007) which qualified him at any rate, whether or not he attended the other three meetings with hidden attendance records.

(12) CANDIDATE MAIMUNA ESEGINE (2ND VICE-CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited her with 8 appearances in the 2006/2007 year meetings but try as hard as the Squib did, the candidate name could not be found any where in the open attendance records (8 months). Thus even if she attended the three meeting with hidden “attendance” records, she would still not have the 7 meetings bench mark.

(13) CANDIDATE TERRY ADENIJI (2ND VICE-CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 8 attendance in the 2006/2007 year meetings. But Squib perusal shows that the candidate by the ‘open’ attendance records attended 6 meetings September 2006, October 2006, December 2006, January 2007 February 2007, and April 2007). Adeniji would meet the 8 attendance mark credited to him if he attended at least 2 of the 3 meetings with hidden records.

(14) CANDIDATE OLUFEMI DAFOSTA OSINOWO (2ND VICE-CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 3 attendance in the 2006/2007 year meetings. Squib however finds that he made only 4 meetings in the ‘open’ attendance records (September 2006, December 2006, February 2007 and April 2007). To reach the 7 meetings bench mark, Osinowo must be recorded as present in the three other meetings with hidden attendance records.

(15) CANDIDATE DARE AKANDE (1ST VICE-CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 10 attendance in the 2006/2007 year meetings. The Squibs finds that in the open attendance records, Akande attended 6 times (August 2006, September 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007 and April 2007). Curiously even though the October 2006 minutes recorded the participation of Akande, the attached list of attendees did not include his name. Akande must have attended the branch meetings with ‘hidden records’ to make the 10 meeting attendance recorded for him

(16) CANDIDATE CHARLES OGUNTUGA (1ST VICE-CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 8 meetings attendance of the 2006/2007 year meetings. The Squib however finds that the gentleman came for monthly meetings in that period, only 2 times (February 2007, and April 2007). This is known through the open attendance lists. Even if the candidate attended the other three meetings with hidden attendance records, he would still not have made the 7 meetings bench mark required for contest eligibility.

(17) CANDIDATE BECKLEY ABIOYE (CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 11 meeting attendance of the 2006/2007 year meetings. That means he attended all the meetings, an untrue fact. Open record of attendance shows that the candidate attended 7 of the 8 possible meeting. He was definitely absent at the November 2006 meeting, which minutes was taken and franked by A. Ahmed esq the Assistant Secretary General, hence the candidates name was missing in the list of EXCO members in attendance. Even if the Candidate attended all the three other meetings with ‘hidden’ report, he cannot make the 11 meeting bench-mark. Conversely even if he did not attend, he is already qualified to contest.

(18) CANDIDATE NIYI AKINMOLA (CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 8 meeting attendance in 2006/2007 year meetings. The open attendance records show that he was present in 7 meetings (September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007, and April 2007). The candidate must have attended at least one of the other three months with ‘hidden’ attendance record to have made the 8 meeting mark. At any rate he qualifies to run.

(19) CANDIDATE DAVE AJETOMOBI (CHAIRMAN). The Abioye report credited him with 10 attendance of the 2006/2007 year meetings. The open attendance records show that the candidate was present in 7 meetings (September 2006, October 2006, November 2006, December 2006, January 2007, February 2007, and April 2007). This ordinarily qualifies him to run. He must have attended the three other meetings with hidden attendance records to have made 10 meetings attendance mark.

(20) CANDIDATE DELE OLOKE (CHAIRMAN). The Abioye reports credited him 6 attendance in the 2006/2007 year meetings. By the open attendance records, the Squib finds that the candidate only came to meetings four times (September 2006, October 2006, December 2006, January 2007). For Oloke to have been otherwise credited with 6 attendance mark, it must be that he attended at least two of the three meetings with ‘hidden’ attendance records. Either way the candidate does not qualify to contest.

Presently nobody knows what the stance of the Electoral Committee (EC) headed by Taiwo Adeoluwa esq chairman, with Akin, Akingbehin esq as secretary and Rex Onakprebeya as member would take on the eligibility of candidates to run in the elections.
However the Squib has it on good authority that candidates who have problems satisfying qualification indices are already making re-presentations to the E.C members to close their eyes to the rules and “allow everybody to contest”.
On the other hand, there are those calling for the Electoral committee to follow the constitution and due process in the discharge of their duties to avoid rubbishing the image of the branch and limiting the chances of confusion and controversy. The pattern of behaviour of the E.C in the conduct of the elections would have been more predictable if the outgoing chairman of the branch Niyi Idowu esq had had his way fully at the 5th May meeting of the Tigers during the nomination exercise of the members of the E.C.
Following a set, clear plan not to allow persons opposed to the candidateture of his own chairmanship candidate Beckley Abioye, to make any nomination into the 3 man E.C, his opponents shrewdly and almost magically slipped past him and with his consent to have an input in the E.C.
As things stand, except fairness and adherence to the provisions of the branch bye-laws are followed, the E.C itself may implode causing crisis in the branch. Contestants opposed to the Niyi Idowu group are watching with keen interest what the E.C would be up to, especially its leadership, believed in many quarters to have been hand-picked by Niyi Idowu to achieve certain ends.
The parade of contestants clearly shows that even now factionalised into about three parts, the dominant political caucus in the Ikeja bar remains the Progressive Bar Forum. For all the offices, they have supplied virtually all the candidates
In the chairmanship race for example, at least three of the four contestants, Dave Ajetomobi, Niyi Akinmola, and Beckley Abioye are clear PBF elements while the fourth person, Dele Oloke can also fairly contend that he is or at least was once a PBFite.
Dele Oloke esq is a veteran contestant, an Abraham Lincon of sorts in political post odessey. In year 2002 he contested the 1st Vice-Chairman slot and lost very narrowly (by one vote) to Hya Osahon Ihenyen. In 2004 he contested the same post with Niyi Idowu esq and was trounced. In 2006, the hardy political animal vied for the Chairmanship of the branch with Niyi Idowu esq, who was nominated by his then political caucus to step into the chairmanship post. Again Niyi Idowu had the upper hand with a landslide margin of victory
Now in 2008, Oloke is out there again in the ring. Can he succeed? Optimists and sympathizers of the Oloke cause think, the man may be lucky this time around. They hang their hopes on the division in the PBF family calculating that if the PBF candidates wear themselves out in ferocious attacks, Oloke may just gain a slim majority to take the crown.
But realistically speaking can Oloke comes out tops even in the face of the fractured behemoth of the PBF? The answer may very well be in the negative. For one Oloke may not be allowed to contest. There appears to be legitimate grounds to disqualify him as indicated in the report on candidates for the elections.
Secondly Oloke’s campaign for the high office was the last to take off, almost as an after-thought, thereby yielding quite a lot of grounds to his “early-birds” rivals.
Thirdly even as factionalised as they are, the PBF can hardly be trusted to leave any substantial morsels of votes for Oloke to gobble-such is their reach and persistent networking.
Fourthly, it would appear that strictly in his own, Oloke, although a comfortable looking and well dressed individual, does not have enough charm factor to woo a large number of people to his side. The reason is simple-the frank, almost too-outspoken Oloke is easily (and may be wrongly) perceived as caustic, temperamental and arrogant individual by many members.
Another chairmanship candidate to watch is Niyi Akinmola. A foundation member of the inner ‘family caucus’ of the Progressive Bar Forum, his emergence as a chairmanship candidate this time around is a bit of a surprise to many watchers of the political scene.
A former financial secretary under the Adekunle Ojo administration and the out-going Second Vice-Chairman, Akinmola is not without some experience in bar activism. Why he decided to break from his political family, a group of which he is a foundation member remains a mystery of sort. Stranger still was his decision to go for the chairmanship almost ‘solo’. In leaving his family, Akinmola touts himself to would be voters as a truly independent candidate out to make positive change.
But he has been unable to answer why he alone of his former comrades is an impeccable saint while the rest are devils and sinners.
Squib investigations show that the lack of a cadre or structure support for his candidacy may have forced him into either a secret alliance with the Niyi Idowu group to step down for Beckley Abioye at an opportuned moment. A shrewd study of the report on candidates submitted by Beckley Abioye as Secretary General revealed that a relationship exist between the duo. Conspicuously left absent in the Abioye report are the names of the nominators and seconders of the candidates, contrary to the bye-laws. Funny enough the particulars of these unstated nominators and seconders, such as their year of call, payment of practicing fees etc were given. This curious arrangement has a reason-to prevent the ordinary members of the branch to have a glimpse into the secret and special relationships between some candidates and their so called rivals.
For example Beckley Abioye according to the report was called to the Bar 15th December 1993, his ‘unknown’ nominator was also called to the Bar in 15th December 1993.
Interestingly Niyi Akinmola, one of his rivals was stated to be called to the bar on 15th December 1993, and also his own nominator was also called to the bar in December 1993! Even a villager knows that four added to four can only be eight. For good measure this magazine can reveal that the unstated seconder of aspirant Beckley Abioye’s nomination is no other person than his god-father, Niyi Idowu esq. If Niyi Akinmola continues in the race, what are his chances? It does not appear very bright although it can be said for the self declared ‘lone ranger’ candidate that he has campaigned fairly far and wide with limited measure of success.
The third chairmanship candidate is Beckley Abioye. Before 2006, Abioye was not much of an item in the affairs of the NBA Ikeja branch. His fortune changed when the inner family of the PBF adopted him as their candidate for the post of Secretary. Powered on by their famous political muscle, the PBF led by the very able Dare Akande, brought Beckley into office, unopposed. But almost immediately once in office and in conjunction with his mentor, Niyi Idowu who also rode the PBF horse into the chairmanship seat of the Tiger Branch, began to turn against their political family.
For starters, they prevented Adesina Ogunlana esq, whom they perceived to be an Adekunle Ojo clone, to be a part of ‘their’ government.
Secondly unlike in the Adekunle Ojo era, the duo of Niyi Idowu and Beckley Abioye began to distance themselves from the ready-made think tank that the inner family group of the PBF was. The duo were determined to run the show by themselves and as they deemed fit.
In doing this they started building a new caucus filled by new, inexperienced hands, upon whose fragile shoulders they thrust heavy burdens of the bar to perform.
Before long, the effect of this deliberate political decision began to show. The once vibrant Ikeja bar began to lose its shine not only in the outside world but internally. However the duo of Idowu and Beckley, believed that the past two years in the NBA Ikeja were wonderful ones, hence candidate Beckley’s campaign theme of “continuity and consolidation”. He is the only candidate carrying this banner, even his “half partner” Niyi Akinmola esq is talking about the need for change.
Can Beckley Abioye’s dream to become the next chairman of the NBA come to pass? On the positive side, this candidate has the advantage of incumbency on his side and is clearly in possession of enough sense of desperation to try just about anything to achieve his goal. By being the incumbent secretary, Beckley enjoys a certain level of visibility. With the full support of his chairman, he has not hesitated to take the advantage of his office to work “wonders” with records pertinent to the electoral contest ahead. Only a few weeks back the financial secretary the quiet Yinka Farounbi, who ironically sponsored Beckley into the bosom of the PBF had cause at an Executive council meeting of the branch and rightly too, to accuse both Beckley and Idowu of seizing certain financial records of the branch in his custody and tempering with same. The duo had no answer to the charge.
Still on the positive chance, whatever successes of the Idowu administration which includes raising up to about seven million naira for the FRA Williams Bar Centre and securing from the Lagos State Government, a new bus for the branch, Abioye can rightly claim to it, since it could be said that he is a major player in the regime.
On his own, Beckley stands very little chance, but supported by the scheming and deeply vengeful Niyi Idowu and who has been longer in the political jungle, Beckley will be a major-contender in the race. The essential campaign of the duo is to demonise their former political comrades, particularly the still popular Adekunle Ojo, the former chairman of the branch as a purloiner of branch funds while they (Niyi Idowu and Beckley Abioye) are the Mr. Clean. Their other former comrades like Adebamigbe Omole, Dare Akande, Isa Buhari, Dave Ajetomobi, Tajudeen Ibrahim, Yinka Farounbi, Adesina Ogunlana are portrayed as people prepared to cover up Adekunle Ojo’s misdeeds.
History however does not favour the emergence of Abioye as the chairman of the branch, this time around. All former chairmen and even the incumbent Niyi Idowu who were once Secretaries of the bar, came to the topmost jobs years after being secretaries. For example Mr. Bisi Ade-Ademuwagun became chairman of the Ikeja in 2002 but was secretary almost thirteen years earlier.
Dele Adesina S.A.N became the chairman in 1998, but was secretary in 1991 while Niyi Idowu who became the chairman in 2006 was the secretary in 1998. Already people are wondering why Abioye is in such a hurry to become the chairman in the presence of the two vice-chairmen willing to so become.
Another factor against Beckley is his apparent “juniority” in the scheme of things despite his relative prominence as secretary of the bar. In the PBF caucus he is the most junior of the PBF trio, to wit, Dave Ajetomobi, Niyi Akinmola and himself. In the herachy of bar positions, he remains junior to both Akinmola and Ajetomobi and is also junior to Ajetomobi at the bar, by three years.
In deflecting the change of juniority Beckley Abioye’s dismissive riposte was an arrogant “The only thing those who say I should step down from the race for Dave Ajetomobi can say is that I am junior to him”-as if it is a non-issue.
Thirdly in the area of personal charm, Abioye may not score highly. In the earlier period of his secretary ship, he was one secretary known to be harsh, and often impatient with people and speaking down on them in manner highly suggestive of irritation. In election times people remember such things of candidates, no matter the meek and gentle looks a vote seeking candidate may perforce wear presently.
Fourthly the Beckley Abioye and Niyi Idowu’s misadventure in the Dele Adesina matter-the issuance of a letter of “vouching” to Chief Rotimi Akeredolu S.A.N tacitly endorsing his candidature for NBA presidency to the detriment of the NBA Ikeja home boy Dele Adesina S.A.N, will work against Abioye’s chances.
When the issue came up at the very uproarious May 2008 meeting of the bar, both the chairman and his secretary, who unilaterally decided to ‘vouch’ for Akeredolu without notice to the other members of the Executive Committee escaped sanction only at the heavy intervention of the elders of the bar.
Fifthly Beckley Abioye does not enjoy the support of majority members of the Executive Committee. Perceived as high-handed and self-serving the common joke among members of the Exco is to describe his newly acquired Mistibushi Saloon car as “Mistibushi Imprest” a jab at what is considered to be a generous secretariat maintenance allowance allowed him by the chairman. If majority of the ‘Exco’ members were for Abioye, his plans of becoming the NBA chairman would have been made easier. Under him, the secretariat had not functioned too well. There was no particular improvement on the sanitation of the toilets and the ‘business centre’ of the secretariat packed up a long time ago and there are insinuations that most of the work done by the business centre workers were in the typing and photocopying of LLM course materials of the secretary.
The last but not the least of the chairmanship candidate is Dave Ajetomobi. Like Abioye, and Dele Oloke, he is from Osun State and has at least six years of service in the NBA as a publicity secretary, as a 2nd Vice-chairman and presently as the 1st Vice-Chairman.
Backed by the vast majority of the inner family of the influential progressive Bar Forum which includes the national leader of the PBF, Dare Akande, Adebamigbe Omole, the president of the Lagos State Chapter of the PBF and Adekunle Ojo, the former chairman of the branch, Dave Ajetomobi as at press time is still the candidate to beat.
For one, he has the most-experienced and largest political machinery behind him, the same machinery which brought the incumbent chairman and secretary to power. This is a great advantage because unlike some of his rivals like Dele Oloke and Niyi Akinmola who are just like Beckley whose structure is new and untested, Ajetomobi’s campaingigners are a bunch of tested committed veterans, who are even fired to greater commitment in the face of the political shenanigans of the Idowu-Abioye break-away faction and that of their half-partner Niyi Akinmola esq.
Secondly, Dave’s opponents for whatever reason have left to him to monopolise the platform of the only functional legal journal in Lagos State to sell himself to the electorate. This situation may prove crucial to his eventual success, as Osahon Ihenyen esq learnt to his cost in the 2004 elections, in the contest against Adekunle Ojo to become the chairman of the branch then.
Thirdly Dave Ajetomobi has maintained the cleanest campaign of all the candidates and his group can never be found talking evil of their opponents but always keep emphasising on the programrs of the candidate.
In favour of Ajetomobi is the fact that he and his group identified staunchly with the aspiration of the NBA Ikeja branch to produce the next NBA president via the person of Deacon Dele Adesina. For this astute decision to let bygone be bygones and support Dele Adesina’s presidential bid, Ajetomobi’s group has gained new supporters, even from quarters not ordinarily well disposed to the Progressive Bar Forum.
The large official bar, which Niyi Idowu-Abioye faction of the PBF has alienated and even lately antagonised does not appear to be against the Ajetomobi candidature, and this is a huge plus for him.
Yet the Ajetomobi candidature is not entirely problem-free, Because he is the standard bearer of the main inner family of the PBF, opponents of the PBF are happy that the PBF is fracturing and imploding and may not wish a main PBFite to gain power again since such can only strengthen the caucus again. This main group is being mocked as creating the Niyi Idowu-Beckley Abioye ‘monster’ and so must sink with it.
In some quarters, where the Idowu-Abioye administration is heavily loathed, the administration is hung on the neck of the Ajetomobi backers since they undoubtedly gave birth to the administration. The poser is “Were you not the ones who brought Niyi (Idowu) to us?
How are we sure this one (Ajetomobi) will not turn out just like him (Idowu)?
The constant link of Niyi Idowu to the Ajetomobi group despite his determined and deliberate break with members of his former political family is understandable considering his supposedly strong professional personal, even familial links with his former comrades particularly Tajudeen Ibrahim, Adebamigbe Omole and Oludare Akande a.k.a Leader. But that as somebody had pointed out “is politics."
From all indications, the two leading candidiates in the chairmanship elections are Dave Ajetomobi and Beckley Abioye. It is behind these two candidates that all other candidates contesting for other posts have queued behind.

A cursory look down the ladder shows that the Ajetomobi group parades a stronger and more experienced team. For example in the vice-chairman position, Ajetomobi’s group presents the very experienced and well known Dare Akande as against the relatively unknown Charles Oguntuga.
For Second vice-chairman, the duo of Terry Badmus Adeniyi (incumbent treasurer) and Dafosta Osinowo belongs to the Ajetomobi group while the Idowu-Abioye group presents a Meimuna Esegine, another relatively unknown political player.
For the General Secretary, the Ajetomobi group settles for the veteran party man-Isa Mohammed Buhari (1990 call year) while the Idowu-Abioye group presents Mrs. Titi Osagie (2000 call year) another new face in the NBA Ikeja affairs. For Social Secretary, the Ajetomobi group presents Emmanuel Otobo the out-going Auditor, called to the bar in 1990 while the Idowu-Abioye group presents Miss Abiola Oketoki, a 2002 graduate of the Nigerian Law School
For the office of the Publicity Secretary, the Ajetomobi group has settled for Lateef Abdusalam esq while the Idowu-Abioye group goes for S.O. Omodara
Judging from the analysis of the the Abioye report, many of the contestants under the Idowu-Abioye banner may in all probability end up disqualified, with the necessary political implications and consequences for the group.
So the question remains which way will the Tigers go in the June 2008 elections? The answer lies with the voters. Please ask them.