August 27, (THEWILL) – She may be relatively unknown to most people but in Lagos State and in Surulere area of the state in particular, Barakat Bakare-Akande is quite popular. She has also been able to endear herself to many on account of how well she has been able to discharge her duties over the years in the local government council. So, when she made known her intention to represent members of the Surulere constituency in the state house of assembly, many of her colleagues and supporters encouraged her. But it meant that she would be going up against actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot who is the current occupant of the seat. Scared of losing his seat, knowing his reelection hung in the balance following his unguarded utterances during the END Sars saga, Desmond ran to Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Gbajabiamila, the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representative, had represented Surulere constituency for five terms. If he was not made the Chief of Staff, he would have joined the 10th National Assembly for his sixth term as he won his re-election. By virtue of this, he automatically assumed the position of the Lord of the Manor, who all politicians, veterans and aspiring, must pay homage to. He decides what position goes to who within that constituency. He prevailed on Barakat to step down her ambition and allow Desmond his third attempt, perhaps his last.
He promised her a place in governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet as a commissioner and that further gladdened the hearts of her supporters particularly when she made the list. Unfortunately, her joy was cut short. The powers that be played a smart one on Gbajabiamila by throwing up a cacophony of protests and got Tinubu to intervene. That singular act earned her and 16 others, rejections from the state assembly. Not only did she lose out on getting a seat in the state assembly, she lost out on getting a place in Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet.
Also, going back to take her place in the local government council seems like a dicey situation, having relinquished all for a higher calling. Clearly, she lost out on all fronts or so it may seem except Gbajabiamila who asked her not to run, comes up with an alternative for her. If she had not been prevailed upon, to not slug it out with Elliot, perhaps, she may have edged him out in the general elections. Besides the influence of Gbajabiamila, Barakat is considered a deeply rooted grassroots politician who enjoys not only the huge support of the female folks but also the men in Surulere since her sojourn into politics. She began active politics in 2017 when she was elected to represent Ward E1 in Surulere Local Government and she has since grown in leaps and bounds. Her leadership qualities were never in doubt which prompted her election as the Leader of the Surulere Local Government Legislative Arm.
She was re-elected councilor to represent the same Ward in 2021 and again re-elected to lead the council’s Legislative Arm, an act many say is unprecedented in the history of the Local Government. She was also elected the Chairperson of Forum of Leaders of Legislative Arms in Lagos State and she delivered her assignments diligently. Unprecedentedly, as the leader of the Surulere Local Government Legislative Arm, Barakat has overseen the promulgation of about 27 bye laws, making the Surulere Local Government Legislative Arm arguably the most active in the state. A royal blood, Barakat has a Law degree from the University of Bedfordshire and a master’s degree in law from the same university. She’s a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
