By Idris Olukoya
The lawmaker representing Somolu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Samuel Apata, has said he was denied return ticket despite his overwhelming victory at the primary election.
Apata said this while appealing to President Bola Tinubu to help him reclaim what he calls his mandate in the just-concluded APC primaries.
He made the appeal during an interview in Lagos, on Wednesday.
The lawmaker expressed confidence that President Tinubu would listen to his plea, saying he was a loyal party member, committed to the ideals of the party.
According to him, he secured victory in the primary election with a wide margin but was denied the ticket despite his performance.
“I contested for the second-term ticket and won convincingly with 9,081 votes. It is unfortunate that someone who came a distant third, with only 677 votes, was eventually declared the candidate.
“I believe in party supremacy and due process. Personally, I am grateful to President Bola Tinubu for providing us with this APC platform but I want my second term ticket.
“President Tinubu is a man of justice, and I am confident that he will look into this matter and ensure that the right thing is done,” he said.
The lawmaker said that he had previously contested for the chairmanship of Bariga LCDA twice and had also contested elections into State House of Assembly on two occasions before emerging victorious in 2023.
Apata said he had done well for the people of Bariga, citing the renovation of Ariyo and Grace streets in Bariga as well as the construction and rehabilitation of six schools as some of the projects he facilitated in the area.
He said that his experience over the past three years had strengthened his capacity as a lawmaker and positioned him to deliver more effective representation.
The lawmaker reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and his support for President Tinubu’s administration.(NAN).
