Lagos APC: Party Leaders Accused of Imposing Candidates Ahead of LG Polls

 By: Manoah Kikekon 

Crisis is brewing within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as chairmanship aspirants and party leaders revolt against alleged imposition of candidates ahead of the July 12 local government elections.

Aggrieved members from various local government areas (LGAs) and local council development areas (LCDAs) have accused key party figures of sidelining internal democracy by handpicking candidates instead of allowing a fair electoral process.  

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) had in April released the timetable for elections into 57 council chairmanship and 376 councillorship positions across the state’s 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs. The tenure of the current officials ends in July.  

The APC had pushed for a consensus arrangement in selecting candidates for its council primaries, scheduled for Saturday. However, many aspirants claim the process has been hijacked by influential leaders to impose their preferred candidates.  

In Ojokoro LCDA, a faction of party leaders reportedly screened three aspirants and announced Mobolaji Sanusi as the consensus candidate. However, another group later presented Rosiji Yemisi as their candidate, sparking accusations of external interference.  

A party insider, who spoke anonymously, alleged that Sanusi was being imposed by Speaker Mudasiru Obasa, warning that such a move could backfire.  

Similar tensions flared in Yaba LCDA, where stakeholders raised an alarm over an alleged plot to impose Babatunde Ojo as the chairmanship candidate despite scoring 65% in screening far behind William Babatunde, who polled 85%.  

A coalition of landlords and political stakeholders petitioned First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, urging intervention to prevent a repeat of past impositions that stalled development.  

A prominent APC leader, Fouad Oki, issued a stern warning in an open letter titled “Lagos APC’s Crisis of Democracy: Internal Strife and the Risk to President Tinubu’s Stronghold.”  

He cautioned that disenfranchised members could sabotage not only the council polls but also future elections, including the 2027 general elections.  

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, dismissed the allegations, stating that consensus is a legitimate process under the APC constitution.  

“We have not concluded the primaries. Where consensus is reached, leaders must sign off. If any aspirant is dissatisfied, they can insist on a primary,” he said.  

With tensions rising, the APC faces a critical test of its internal democracy. If unresolved, the revolt could weaken the party’s grip on Lagos a stronghold President Bola Tinubu cannot afford to lose.  

Stay tuned for updates as the Lagos LG elections draw closer...