Ahead of the July 12, 2025 Local Government Elections in Lagos, the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified 38 chairmanship aspirants over inability to meet the prerequisite for the council poll.
Meanwhile, the party through the Electoral Committee has cleared 432 aspirants to contest in the party’s forthcoming primary elections.
Aside from that, the Ojokoro APC apex leaders have submitted what it described as the authentic list of chairmanship aspirants to the party chairman,, Cornelius Ojelabi, insisting on Mobolaji Sanusi’s as consensus candidate for the council seat.
The statistics was released on Saturday after the screening exercise was concluded yesterday at the party’s secretariat, Acme Road, Ogba axis of the state.
Former National Legal Adviser of the party and one time member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Babatunde Ogala, was appointed the chairman of the Electoral Committee and Babarinde Nurudeen, as the Secretary.
The committee, according to the party, is empowered to over-see all the activities and processes leading to the conduct of the elections into positions of the 57 councils.
Among those who voluntary withdrew was Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Lagos Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who was asked to step down by President Bola Tinubu, the National leader of the party.
According to the committee, the disqualifications were primarily due to lack of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), missing APC membership cards, and falsified secondary school certificates.
Disqualified aspirants have an opportunity to file an appeal between Sunday, May 4 and Monday, May 5. Those who wish to contest the outcome of the primaries can submit petitions to the Appeal Committee between May 12 and 13.
Reacting, Ogala, described the screening exercise as “thorough, rigorous and challenging.”
He affirmed that all cleared aspirants possess the capacity to deliver quality governance at the grassroots level if elected.
According to the gender breakdown of the aspirants, out of the 470, 411 were male and 59 female, reflecting the gender sensitivity of the party as well as increasing female inclusion in local politics.
On the Ojokoro chairmanship tussle, the leaders stance was contained in a letter dated, May 3, 2025 and titled: RE: Clarification and Submission Of Authentic List Signed By Majority Of Approved Ojokoro Apex Leaders For Mobolaji Sanusi’s Adoption As Chairmanship Consensus Candidate.”
The letter, signed by Ipoola Omisore, (two-term member, Lagos State House of Assembly) and Adisa Owolabi, (immediate past member, House of Representatives), read in part: “Consequent upon our letter of yesterday (Friday, May 2, 2025) on above subject matter, kindly find attached the original list of authentic leaders that voluntarily signed for the adoption of Mr, Mobolaji Sanusi as CONSENSUS Candidate of our dear APC party in the upcoming local government elections.
“The names of Ojokoro leaders herein attached overleaf for purposes of dispelling any doubts and for our party’s necessary information are:
“Hon. Ipoola Omisore(two-term member, Lagos State House of Assembly), Chief Oluyomi Olaogun(an octogenarian and politician of note in Ojokoro and Lagos State), Otunba Aremu Akindele(pioneer chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye Local government), Hon, Adisa Owolabi( immediate past member, House of Representatives),
“Hon. Emmanuel Olotu(incumbent member of the Lagos State House of Assembly), Hon. Jelili Oseni(former councilor and incumbent APC LG Chairman in Ojokoro), Dr Waheel Adeleke Ipaye(former Sole Administrator of Ojokoro LCDA)
“Prince Adewale Bello(immediate past APC LG chairman in Ojokoro), Alhaji Aminu Amosun(former APC LG Chairman in Ojokoro), Dr Idris Salako(former commissioner in Lagos State), and Hon. HID Tijani(incumbent chairman of Ojokoro LCDA).”
