Lagos APC resolving post-primary crisis, says Oladejo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is resolving the crisis arising from last week’s local government primaries, Publicity Secretary Mogaji Seye Oladejo said yesterday.
He described the protests by aggrieved chairmanship and councillorship aspirants as normal reactions in any democratic setting, adding that they are not ignored by the party leadership.
Oladejo, who spoke on the television, said not all the claims of the protesters are genuine, pointing out that some people were not prepared to adjust to defeat in a contest.
He lauded the party’s election committee headed by Babatunde Ogala (SAN) for conducting transparent and credible primaries.
Noting that the complaints against the exercise were limited to between eight and 10 local governments, Oladejo said the committee scored a pass mark.
He said: “If they are only complaining in 10 councils out of 57, then, the election committee scored a pass mark.”
Oladejo, a former Commissioner for Special Duties, said the complaints are not ignored by the party ,which had set up the Primary Appeal Committee headed by Lawal Pedro, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
He said the petitions before the appeal panel would dispassionately considered in a bid to resolve the crisis.
Lagos APC, led by Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, had published the names of the 57 chairmanship candidates, sparking protests in 10 local governments.
Protesters have continued to converge on the gate of the party secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, blocking the entrance.
Police had to be drafted to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Protesters from Ikosi-Isheri Council objected to the victory of the chairman, Samiat Bada, saying that her choice smacked of a third term agenda.
After completing the term of the deceased chairman, Hon. Oyesco, she won a fresh term four years ago, and she also won the recent primary.
In a statement, Aderemi Coker, said “having served for five years as vice chairman and six years as chairman, her re-nomination smacks of a third-term agenda, a move that fundamentally challenges both the rule of law and democratic accountability.”
He said:”Citizens, especially youths are questioning whether their- voices still matter in system increasingly monopolised by a handful ofpolitical elite.”
“The party risks low voter turnout, internal sabotage, and even defections if it continues to ignore widespread discontent. APC must not allow its internal processes to become breeding grounds for political stagnation.
“Bada’s re-nomination sends the wrong message to millions of aspiring leaders, especially in Lagos that power is inherited, not earned. It contradicts APC’s own rhetoric about youth inclusion and progressive governance. The rule ofl law, political fairness, and public confidence are on the line.”
In Agege local government, party members said the results did not reflect their wish.
They said Babatunde Azeez and Abiodun Akinola, who were declared as chairmanship candidates for Agege Council and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA) respectively, were imposed on party members.
Chairman of 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in Agege, Sabitu Kamorudeen, who led the protest, said most party members were against the emergence of the candidates for the two council areas.
According to him, the two candidates were hand-picked by some party leaders to serve their selfish interests.
“We are here to challenge those using President Bola Tinubu’s name to impose their candidates.
“The results are not only misleading but are a gross misrepresentation of the democratic will of our party members in Agege and Orile-Agege.
“The outcomes are not a reflection of due process but reek of manipulation and abuse of party machinery by entrenched interests,who have hijacked our local politics,” he said.
Spokesperson, PCC Orile-Agege LCDA, Adetunji Akinyemi said that members of the APC in the area acknowledge and respect the supremacy of party directives and structures.
According to him, such deference must not be misconstrued as passive endorsement of tyranny or authoritarianism cloaked as leadership.
“We cannot support a scenario where a single individual, wielding inordinate influence, positions himself as the sole arbiter of who rises or falls within the party in Agege.
“That is not party discipline, it is political capture, and it is antithetical to the democratic ethos of our party, the APC.The political climate in Agege and Orile-Agege is uniquely troubling,” he said.
Also, one of party leaders in the area, Akeem Ashiruurged the state council of APC, political leaders and members of the party’s National working Committee to act on the matter and check what he called hijack of the party in Agege and Orile Agege.
“This is Lagos and this is Agege, it is not a political estate to be inherited or transferred at will. For many of us, Agege is not only our constituency, it is our home.We have no ancestral retreats beyond these communities and so we must insist on justice, fairness and the preservation of peace,” Ashiru said.
A member of the group, Asanat Lawal, said that their allegiance remained with the broader APC.
According to her, party members are committed to the party and second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu, but will not remain silent in the face of oppression.
“We will continue to resist every attempt to destroy our democratic foundation of our local politics and we will defend the rights of our people to be represented by individuals of their choosing not by fiat, coercion or hereditary succession,” she said.
The party advised discontented aspirants to submit their appeals to the committee by 12.p.m. on Tuesday ( May 13).
Also, delegates from the Badagry West Local Government have faulted the recently concluded local council primaries describing it daylight robbery of their votes.
Speaking during a protest held at the Lagos State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Ogba, Ikeja, the protesters demanded outright return of their votes and a declaration of their candidate, Oluremi Funmi Nutayi as the winner of the election.
Secretary of Nutayi’s campaign organization, Mr. Emmanuel Bankole urged the APC leadership and the electoral committee to consider the future of the party by doing justice to their appeal for restoration of Nutayi’s mandate.
“APC was founded on equity ad justice. But what happened last Saturday was nothing short of an eyesore. The security was so tight and the delegates were went in and our agent and aspirant were not given any tags of identification as against the rules of the election. They were asked to vote and leave the venue of the voting. As law abiding members of APC, our delegates voted and left the place. However, what was announced as result on Saturday was a complete embarrassment to the party.
“We are dissatisfied with the result of the election hence we have filed our appeal to the Appeal Committee set up by the party. The rights of the delegates have been completely taken from them and our aspirant came with 13 delegates but by the time the results were announced we were told that one of the comtestanst got 19 votes, one other aspirant got one vote, one Sessi got one vote, Kudus Sewanu got one vote and Damilola James got one vote. Now, the total votes announced were 22 while the records showed that 25 delegates from Badagry West LGA participated and were allowed to vote. So, how could 13 votes belonging to our candidate disappeared without a trace?
The party agent for the aspirant, Mawuyon Oluwasegun said:’’ It is seriously an embarrassment for us to bring 13 delegates to an election and their votes would not be recorded for our aspirant. It is nothing but a charade.
‘A chieftain of the party, Hodonu John File, said:’ “What happened during the election on Saturday was shameful and embarrassing ton our great party. What we are saying is that party leaders and electoral committee should do the needful and restore the mandate stolen from our aspirant, Oluremi Funmi Nutayi. A situation whereby 13 delegates voted for an aspirant was not recorded for the aspirant is nothing but a case of stolen mandate that should not be allowed to stand.’’
In Yaba LCDA, stakeholders protested at the APC state secretariat, rejecting the alleged imposition of Adebayo Adefuye, son of Senator Anthony Adefuye, as chairmanship candidate.
The leader of the protest, Olorunibe Ismail, speaking on behalf of party members, students, artisans, and traders, condemned what he termed an assault on internal democracy.
A petition, signed by stakeholders from all nine wards within Yaba LCDA, was submitted to the Appeal Panel.
“There was no valid primary election in Yaba due to ongoing litigation. Yet, we were shocked to hear that Senator Adefuye had positioned his son from Shomolu Local Government as the sole candidate for Yaba LCDA,” Ismail said.
He pointed out that Adebayo Adefuye ranked sixth during the party’s screening exercise and alleged that better-qualified aspirants were deliberately sidelined.
The protesters demanded the reversal of Adebayo’s name and the conduct of a transparent primary election.
Agbado-Oke-Odo: Petition highlights flawed primaries, at the APC state secretariat in Ogba, representatives from Agbado-Ijaye LCDA, led by Debo Owoseye, submitted a petition challenging the credibility of the primaries conducted in their council.
Owoseye recounted how delegates and aspirants were initially denied access to the venue, later ushered into a secluded room guarded by security personnel, with no agents of aspirants allowed to observe the process. “Our delegates voted, came out, and were sent away without witnessing the movement or collation of ballots. What was later announced was a sham,” he said.
The petitioners declared their support for Engineer David Oladapo Famuyiwa, insisting he deserved a second term and denouncing any imposition by party leaders. “We appeal to Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu, a man of justice and fairness, to intervene. This is not the vision he had when he fought to create these local councils to bring governance closer to the people,” Owoseye said.
The coordinated protests underscore mounting discontent within the APC’s grassroots structure in Lagos, with aspirants and stakeholders calling for reforms to strengthen internal democracy, end the culture of imposition, and protect members’ rights to elect their leaders.
Protesters across all three LCDAs made it clear that they expect the APC leadership, particularly President Tinubu, to uphold democratic ideals.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Moshood Jimoh commended the peaceful protests.
He said: “Before now, the party leadership informed us that after the election on Saturday, from Sunday, those with concerns about the elections might protest, and we are working hand-in-hand with the party executives to ensure that people are freely allowed to express their opinions.”
emphasized that no security breach, injuries, deaths, or damage to property had been recorded, adding that the demonstration was a healthy part of democratic engagement within the party structure.
“The protest has been very peaceful for people to express what they feel about the election. It’s part of democracy — even within the party, it is part of internal party democracy,” he noted.
The Police Commissioner disclosed that security operatives had engaged with various protest groups beforehand, securing assurances of peaceful conduct.
“We had an opportunity to talk with some of the groups who came to protest, and they assured me they would be open and peaceful in doing that. What is happening is not anything to worry about,”
He urged Lagosians to go about their lawful activities without fear, assuring that the police had made adequate security deployments across strategic locations to prevent any potential disruption.
“Our tactical commanders, DPOs, and other unit heads have been directed to maintain order and ensure no one hijacks these legitimate grievances for any unlawful purposes. So far, so good — everything is peaceful, and we intend to sustain this achievement.”
