Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday protested against what they described as imposition of candidates in the Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
Consensus candidates failed to emerge in the two councils in the primary held by ahead of the July 12 LG poll.
The primary election took place at the party’s secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, with candidates emerging through indirect election and consensus for the majority of 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs except the two aforementioned councils.
Opposing the primary methods, the aggrieved APC members held protest on Apapa Road in Ebute Metta, and they later took the demonstration to Arise TV on Victoria Island.
According to the protesters, leaders of the party in the areas had planned to impose unpopular aspirants as consensus candidates.
They complained that it was wrong to impose a consensus candidate without the express consent of other aspirants, threatening that they would challenge any imposition in court except a unanimous agreement is reached.
The leader of the protesters, Taorid Owolabi, said there was lack of consensus among aspirants, urging that the primar for the two local governments should be rescheduled.
He said, “Despite extensive consultations among aspirants within both LGAs, no consensus had been reached. This further underscore the need for a transparent and inclusive process.
“We respectfully call on the State Working Committee to reschedule the primary for a later date and select a suitable venue. We also urge the adoption of revised guidelines that reflect the peculiar circumstances in our LG and LCDA, in full compliance with the provisions of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Another protester, Sodeeq Olawepo, warned that a lack of unanimous consensus among candidates would lead to litigation that could make the party lose to the opposition.
He said, “We are fully aware of the ongoing intra-party crisis affecting our local party structure in both Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA. This has led to a legal suit (Suit No. ID/8948GCM/2025) currently pending before the Lagos State High Court.
“We call on well-meaning stakeholders of our great party to intervene and help restore peace and fairness to our LG and LCDA. Failure to do so could have grave consequences on the APC’s performance in the upcoming Local Government elections and even the 2027 general election.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the APC in the state, Seye Oladejo, said the party had a solid mechanism to resolve candidacy in Lagos Mainland and Yaba ahead of the LG poll.
“The party has well well-tested and trusted mechanism for resolving those areas, it’s nothing to worry about. We will definitely have candidates for those local governments in the coming election,” Oladejo told Sunday PUNCH in a telephone interview.
The party spokesman also denied that stakeholders were imposing candidates for the poll.
“Everybody was at the state secretariat today to witness the primary and as it were, a number of local governments were able to reach consensus and there is nothing close to imposition anywhere,” he said.
Similarly, an aggrieved aspirant in Orile-Agege LCDA, Abimbola Oladokun, condemned the primary, claiming she was excluded despite being the only female aspirant.
Speaking to reporters during the exercise, Oladokun said, “In my local government, we have four aspirants and I am the only woman. Delegates were brought in by another aspirant. I have called my party chairman over 30 times since yesterday, and he has not responded. This is the seventh time I’m contesting. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu must answer why I keep facing this kind of injustice.”
Earlier, Deputy Governor of the state, Obafemi Hamzat, addressed delegates and party members, emphasising the importance of peaceful conduct, especially as the exercise was being closely monitored nationally.
“Our president, who is our leader and father, is watching. This is his state. Let us be orderly and do this peacefully. In Lagos, the APC is still the party to beat. The opposition has no footing,” Hamzat stated.
Chairman of the Lagos APC Electoral Committee, Babatunde Ogala, explained that councils with consensus candidates were allowed to affirm their choice before others cast their votes.
“Some councils had completed their internal processes. We took them first to affirm their candidates. Others followed through with proper voting. Delegates are expected to leave the venue once done to avoid congestion,” Ogala noted.
The primary was concluded with the announcement of candidates of the party to contest the LG election.(Punch)
