On Saturday, May 10, 2025, aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) staged protests over the alleged imposition of chairmanship candidates ahead of the July 12 local government elections.
The demonstrations followed the APC chairmanship primary held at the party’s state secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, where candidates for most of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 LCDAs emerged via consensus and indirect voting.
However, consensus reportedly failed in Lagos Mainland and Yaba councils, leading to unrest among party members.
The protesters, who gathered along Apapa Road in Ebute Metta and later moved their demonstration to Arise TV headquarters in Victoria Island, accused local party leaders of attempting to impose unpopular candidates without securing the consent of other aspirants.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Taorid Owolabi insisted that no true consensus was reached and called for a rescheduled primary in the affected councils. He warned that any imposed candidacy would be challenged in court unless all aspirants agreed unanimously.
Another protester, Sodeeq Olawepo, cautioned that failure to reach a unanimous consensus among aspirants could spark legal battles that might ultimately cost the party its victory to the opposition.
He highlighted an ongoing intra-party crisis affecting the local party structure in both Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA, which has led to a legal suit currently pending before the Lagos State High Court.
The protesters called on the State Working Committee to reschedule the primary for a later date and select a suitable venue.
They also urged the adoption of revised guidelines that reflect the peculiar circumstances in their LG and LCDA, in full compliance with the provisions of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
As of Saturday evening, over 50 chairmanship candidates have emerged from the APC primaries across the state.
However, the protests in Lagos Mainland and Yaba underscore the ongoing challenges within the party regarding candidate selection and internal democracy.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
