Lagos LG Polls: Ojokoro APC apex leaders debunk purported chairmanship list, endorse Sanusi
Ahead of the July 12 Local Government elections in Lagos, apex leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have dismissed a purported chairmanship list submitted to the state party chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, stating that it did not originate from a valid quorum of the council’s Apex Council.
The leaders reaffirmed Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi as the consensus APC chairmanship candidate for Ojokoro, as adopted by the majority of council leaders during several earlier meetings.
In a letter addressed to the state chairman and dated May 2, 2025, titled “Clarifications on a Purported Chairmanship List Submitted to the APC State Chairman by an Ojokoro Group”, two prominent leaders—Ipoola Omisore (a two-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly) and Adisa Owolabi (a former member of the House of Representatives)—stated that the list reportedly submitted by Hon. Benjamin Olabinjo (representing Ifako Federal Constituency) was not valid.
The letter read in part:
“We, the undersigned, are bonafide leaders of Ojokoro LCDA. Our attention has been drawn to a purported list submitted—ostensibly by Hon. Benjamin Olabinjo—to the APC state chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi.
According to informal sources and confirmations from within and outside the APC Secretariat in ACME, the list was allegedly delivered through Hon. James Faleke, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency.
However, we categorically state that the list did not originate from a quorum of the Ojokoro Apex Council and should be discarded.”
The letter noted that the purported list contains 20 names, whereas the authentic APC-recognized leadership list for Ojokoro consists of only 18 members. The signatories questioned the addition of extra names, suggesting they may have been loyalists rather than recognized leaders—an act they described as “impersonation deserving serious reprimand.”
The apex leaders highlighted that a consensus was reached in earlier meetings where 12 of 18 leaders voluntarily adopted Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi as the APC candidate. Due to a conflict of interest, three leaders who are also aspirants—Fausat Olajokun, Rasheed Makinde, and Mobolaji Sanusi—were excluded from voting, reducing the voting quorum to 15. Of those, 11 signed in favor of Sanusi.
“No reasonable person can doubt the consensus, with 11 out of 15 qualified leaders adopting Sanusi as our party’s chairmanship candidate in Ojokoro,” the letter emphasized.
They argued that this binding resolution, signed freely by 11 leaders, remains valid and cannot be overridden by a “reactionary” and “adulterated” list of 20 names.
The letter continued:
“Despite claims that some leaders who signed for Sanusi also signed the alternative list, we maintain that when two equities are equal, the first in time prevails. Our list is the original, authentic consensus list.”
They provided the names of those who signed for Sanusi’s endorsement, including:
Ipoola Omisore (two-term Lagos State House of Assembly member)
Chief Oluyomi Olaogun (respected elder and politician in Lagos)
Otunba Aremu Akindele (pioneer chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye LGA)
Adisa Owolabi (former House of Reps member)
Emmanuel Olotu (current Lagos State House of Assembly member)
Jelili Oseni (Ojokoro APC Chairman and former councilor)
Dr. Waheed Adeleke Ipaye (former Sole Administrator, Ojokoro LCDA)
Prince Adewale Bello (former APC LG Chairman)
A.A. Amosun (former APC LG Chairman)
Dr. Idris Salako (former Lagos State commissioner)
H.I.D. Tijani (current Chairman, Ojokoro LCDA)
Fatimo Oye-Balogun (former Ojokoro woman leader)
They emphasized that none of the leaders signed under duress and urged Pastor Ojelabi and Hon. Faleke not to allow “a few self-serving individuals” to tarnish their reputations or the image of the party.
“The hurriedly submitted list was done in bad faith and risks creating disunity. We urge the party to disregard it. Our list represents the true will of Ojokoro’s APC leadership and will stand any legal or moral scrutiny,” they concluded.(Vanguard)
