Amid controversies over the mode at which the 57 flagbearers for the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates will emerge, the party’s Electoral Committee has invited all stakeholders to a strategic meeting to discuss modalities for the exercise across the state.
The meeting, set to hold at the APC State Secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, comes amid growing concerns among party loyalists and aspirants over the transparency of the party’s selection process for chairmanship and councillor positions.
The meeting to address grievances trailing the primaries has been scheduled for Wednesday at about 10: am.
In a notice signed by Chairman of the State Electoral Committee, Babatunde Ogala, and the committee’s secretary, Nurudeen Bamidele, the APC listed those invited to the meeting.
They include the leader of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), a key decision making of the APC in Lagos, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, party chairmen of the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), all three serving senators from the state, APC members of the House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as apex leaders and cleared chairmanship aspirants.
Also expected are outgoing council chairmen and members of the party’s State Executive Council.
“The Lagos State APC Electoral Committee has scheduled to hold a Stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday 7th May,2025 at the State Secretariat on Acme road , Ogba at 10am.
“Those invited to the meeting are Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, the Party Chairmen of the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas – LCDAs, the 3 Serving Senators, all APC serving members of the House of Representatives from Lagos State, all APC members of the Lagos State House of Assembly , the Apex Leaders in the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas – LCDAs, all the Chairmanship aspirants that have been cleared by the Screening Committee to contest the Primaries, all out-going Council Chairmen and Members of the State Executive Council of the Party,” the notice read.
Members of the party from Ojokoro had protested, displaying placards and chanting slogans, accused party leaders of plotting to impose an unknown aspirant as the chairmanship candidate ahead of the party’s primary election.
The protesters alleged that the attempt to sideline credible aspirants undermines internal democratic processes and violates both the Nigerian Constitution and the APC’s guidelines.
This incident follows a similar fracas during a stakeholders’ meeting in the same LCDA on April 14, which ended abruptly amid allegations of manipulation and lack of transparency.
The storm is not limited to Ojokoro. In the Agege Local Government Area (LGA), concerns have also been raised over candidate imposition. A civil society group known as the Concern Group Initiative (CGI) has called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene and ensure a free and fair nomination process in the LGA.
Tensions in Agege have escalated following the rumoured endorsement of Abdulganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, as the APC chairmanship candidate.
This has further deepened fears of a predetermined outcome, sparking speculation that some aspirants are being coerced into stepping down.
