Disgruntled members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) staged a protest on Saturday over what they described as the imposition of chairmanship candidates in Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) ahead of the July 12 local government elections in Lagos State.
The demonstration followed the party’s chairmanship primary held at its state secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, where candidates for most of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) were selected through consensus and indirect voting.
However, the consensus process reportedly failed in Lagos Mainland and Yaba councils, sparking unrest among party members who accused local leaders of attempting to impose unpopular candidates without proper consultations.
Protesters gathered along Apapa Road in Ebute Metta before marching to the headquarters of Arise TV in Victoria Island, demanding transparency and fairness.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Taorid Owolabi insisted that no genuine consensus was reached in the affected councils and called for a fresh primary. He warned that any attempt to impose candidates would be met with legal action unless all aspirants agreed unanimously.
“The alleged imposition undermines the democratic principles the party claims to uphold and could deepen internal divisions ahead of the local elections,” Owolabi said. “Despite extensive consultations among aspirants, no consensus was reached. This highlights the need for a transparent and inclusive process.”
He further called on the State Working Committee to reschedule the primary and select a neutral venue for the exercise. He also urged the adoption of revised guidelines that reflect the unique circumstances of Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA, in accordance with the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Another protester, Sodeeq Olawepo, warned that failing to achieve unanimous consensus among aspirants could trigger legal disputes that might jeopardize the party’s chances in the polls.
“We are aware of the ongoing intra-party crisis affecting the local party structure in both Lagos Mainland and Yaba LCDA. This has already led to a legal suit (Suit No. ID/8948GCM/2025) currently pending before the Lagos State High Court,” Olawepo said.
He called on key stakeholders to intervene and restore peace and fairness, warning that failure to do so could impact APC’s performance in the upcoming local government elections and even the 2027 general elections.
As of Saturday evening, over 50 chairmanship candidates had emerged from the APC primaries across the state.
