15:T74a,

The plan by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to ensure that a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, succeeds him in office is facing mounting opposition.

A highly placed chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend informed THISDAY that the party leaders across the state had expressed strong opposition to Fashola’s decision to support Shasore’s governorship aspiration.

The chieftain described Fashola’s decision as an affront to the party’s consensual arrangement which, he said, “has formally zoned the state’s governorship position in the 2015 election to Lagos East.”

The chieftain, who demanded anonymity, confirmed that Fashola’s succession plan formed part of the agenda of a meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) that would hold today in Ikeja.

But he said the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, had maintained his position on the state governorship race, noting that once the party leaders “have agreed to zone the slot to Lagos East, all party chieftains and members should respect the agreement.”

He said the presentation of Shasore by the governor was a total deviation from the party’s consensual arrangement that its candidate would emerge from Lagos East, mainly comprising Epe, Ikorodu and Ibeju-Lekki. Lagos West produced Tinubu between 1999 and 2007 while Lagos Central produced Fashola from 2007 to date.

The party chieftain disclosed that Tinubu remains unperturbed by Fashola’s decision to present Shasore to the party. He has insisted that all aspirants should face the primaries irrespective of those backing their aspiration.

•Excerpted from a THISDAY report. Photo shows Governor Fashola.

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