A contentious conundrum brewing within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Political Turmoil in Lagos' APC as Allegations of Forced Candidate Selection Surface for July 12 Elections
The run-up to the July 12 local government elections in Lagos State is fraught with chaos, as numerous chairmanship contenders and party leaders voice their disapproval over alleged efforts to dictate candidates. This simmering tension has been escalating across multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
Key APC figures are under fire for allegedly suppressing grassroots democracy, as some members claim the party leadership is manipulating the candidate selection process. The aggrieved party members have denounced the leadership for allegedly endorsing candidates without offering a fair and open contest.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has released the schedule and guidelines for the July 12 elections, featuring chairmanship candidates vying for roles in the 57 seats across the state's 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs. As the tenure of current council officials approaches its end, the party has promoted the idea of appointing consensus candidates before the scheduled council primaries set for Saturday.
Nevertheless, this ploy has sparked fury among certain aspirants and party members, according to reports from Saturday PUNCH. In various LGAs, party leaders have formed internal committees to streamline aspirants and put forth consensus candidates. Many members are accusing these committees of employing the process as a cover for favoring specific candidates instead of providing a level playing field.
The escalating discontent has resulted in protests in various areas, with members voicing grave concerns about the apparent subversion of the democratic process. The unrest has intensified in several LGAs, where allegations of manipulation abound to sway the election in favor of particular candidates.
One of the areas feeling the brunt of candidate imposition is Ojokoro LCDA, where party leaders, under the Ojokoro Apex Council, screened three chairmanship aspirants. The screening process led to Mobolaji Sanusi being declared the consensus candidate. Corroboration can be found in a letter signed by former House of Representatives members Ipoola Omisore and Adisa Owolabi, addressed to the state APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi.
However, shortly after this announcement, another group of party leaders conducted their own screening and named Rosiji Yemisi as a chairmanship candidate, stoking even more discontent within the local council. A source privy to the situation confirmed that those supporting Yemisi's emergence accused the party leaders of attempting to impose a candidate allegedly backed by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa.
The controversy seeps into Yaba LCDA as well, where protests erupted over alleged attempts to impose Babatunde Ojo as the party's chairmanship candidate. A coalition of concerned landlords, electorates, and political stakeholders claimed that the real top scorer from the screening exercise was being swapped with Ojo's name, despite Ojo's relatively low score that placed him 11th out of the 14 aspirants. William Babatunde, the actual frontrunner in the screening, scored 85%, but there were suspicions when his name was swapped with Ojo's, who received far fewer votes.
The coalition, led by Amoo Ismail, petitioned the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, urging her to intervene to prevent what they deemed a reprisal of past political impositions that halted progress in the area. The petition also requested that President Bola Tinubu steps in to guarantee a fair and transparent selection process.
The coalition's statement emphasized the presence of qualified local leaders capable of picking the most qualified candidate from the pool of aspirants. They were disheartened by the continuous imposition of a single candidate upon them, likening the practice to an unjust injustice to political stakeholders within the local government. They beckoned the First Lady and President Tinubu to intervene and to consider alternative methods that would better serve their community.
An aide to one of the aspirants claimed that party leaders in the LCDA were utilizing the President's name to legitimize candidate imposition.
"They are circulating the idea that the President has ordered who should emerge. This is a manipulative and disrespectful representation of the president, who stands for inner democracy," he remarked.
Loyal to the outgoing Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Dele Osinowo, the media aide, Opeyemi Ahmed, criticized certain party leaders for single-handedly selecting their preferred candidates during the screening process. Ahmed, in a now-deleted Facebook post, warned that if the injustice isn't confronted, it might cost Tinubu his re-election bid.
A stern warning was issued by party chieftain Fouad Oki in an open letter titled, "Lagos APC's crisis of Democracy: Internal strife and the risk to President Tinubu's stronghold." He urged party leaders to embrace inner democracy to avert electoral backlash.
"The Lagos APC must choose democracy over cliques. If party managers still believe they know better than voters, may I remind you of the stakes: disenfranchised grassroots can sabotage not only council polls, but also general elections to come. Unity forged under injustice is fragile; lasting strength requires inclusivity," he admonished.
Reacting to the accusations, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, rejected the claims of imposition, maintaining that the party had not finalized its primary processes, and consensus remained a legitimate and constitutionally recognized mechanism. He highlighted that the party had successfully managed gray areas arising from the primary elections in the past.
Oladejo stated, "We have not yet completed the process of the primaries, set for Saturday. Those who have reached consensus will be affirmed, but those who have not, their delegates will choose their preferred candidates during the local government elections. Nobody is imposing anything on anybody; we value inner democracy, and we have always advocated for it. So, there can be no allegations of imposition, even before the primary elections have concluded."
Speaking about the reasoning behind the party's preference for consensus, he explained, "We view ourselves as a united family. Consensus has proven to be simpler to manage, and it aids in resolving any disputes arising from the electoral process. Over time, this approach has worked well for us and is recognized by our constitution.
"We have an internal mechanism to settle any conflicts or disagreements, and it will be activated to address any contentious issues that may arise as a fallout of the primaries. I can assure you that we will effectively address any concerns that arise during the process."
- The aggrieved APC members in Lagos State have accused key figures of suppressing grassroots democracy, alleging manipulation of the candidate selection process.
- The party leadership's alleged endorsement of candidates without a fair and open contest has been denounced by numerous chairmanship contenders and party leaders across multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
- Saturday PUNCH reports of escalating discontent in various LGAs, with allegations of manipulation abounding to sway the election in favor of particular candidates.
- In Ojokoro LCDA, the Ojokoro Apex Council screened three chairmanship aspirants, declaring Mobolaji Sanusi as the consensus candidate, a decision that has sparked further discontent.
- Another group of party leaders in Ojokoro LCDA named Rosiji Yemisi as a chairmanship candidate, adding fuel to the fire within the local council.
- In Yaba LCDA, protests erupted over alleged attempts to impose Babatunde Ojo as the party's chairmanship candidate, with the real top scorer, William Babatunde, being swapped, according to reports.
- The coalition leading the protests petitioned Oluremi Tinubu and President Bola Tinubu, asking for intervention to ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
- Party chieftain Fouad Oki issued a stern warning in an open letter, urging party leaders to embrace inner democracy to avoid electoral backlash.
- Seye Oladejo, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos, rejected the claims of imposition, maintaining that the party had not finalized its primary processes.
- Oladejo highlighted the party's preference for consensus, claiming it simplifies management and resolves any disputes arising from the electoral process.
