Delegates of no fewer than two Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) abstained from the Lagos Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over internal crisis rocking the party within the council
The two councils where the delegates withdrew from the exercise were Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
Although there was no official statement on reasons for the party members to stay away considering that the exercise would determine who gets the party’s ticket ahead of the July 12 election in the state.
The withdrawal on Saturday from exercise came barely two days after youths, under the auspices of Concerned Youth of Yaba LCDA rejected the alleged nomination of Joseph Ojo as the choice of the party.
The group, in a statement issued by Adebayo Shittu, Coordinator, and Bode Oderinde, Secretary, on Thursday, said Ojo could not be said to be a consensus candidate as his candidacy was not endorsed by most party stakeholders and other aspirants.
The APC youth group urged the party leadership in the area to stop presenting Ojo as the consensus candidate and allow the will of party stakeholders to prevail.
The group said: “We have heard that Joseph Babatunde Ojo, a 70-years old is the consensus choice of the leadership of APC in Yaba.
“This shows that the leadership is insensitive to the plights and yearnings of the people, older and younger generation of Yaba, and we shall ensure this does not see the light of day.
“Despite having young, vibrant, and energetic youths among the aspirants, it is so disappointing that the APC leadership in Yaba would be parading a 70-year-old man.
“Elders are supposed to be encouraging young people to seek public office for positive change.
“We cannot put on people a man who has lost touch with the political situation and does not even have the intention of contesting until he was forcefully dragged in by some individuals.
According to the group, the consensus is null and void and that it does not represent the decision of the APC and people of Yaba.
The group called on top party leaders, especially members of the Governance Advisory Council and the party chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, to call the APC leadership in the council to order.
The group said that the party might lose the election if the party presents Ojo as its flagbearer.
Speaking on behalf of 14 aggrieved aspirants in Yaba APC, Ibrahim Adegbola, said that the council did not need anyone above the age of 50.
“This time is not suitable for someone older than 50 years to aspire for the chairmanship position.
“It doesn’t give a sense of responsibility to the younger generation.
“In this contest, we have a 31-year-old aspirant, we also have a 48-year-old aspirant, and so on. These people should be considered because they are very energetic and vibrant.
“It is not fair that, among all these people, what our leaders can come up with as a consensus is a 70-year-old.
“You cannot shape a future you won’t be part of. So, give the youth the chance to design how they want their future to look. Our party, APC, needs to get it right.”Adegbola
