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Crisis Rocks Lagos APC Over Alleged Candidate Imposition Ahead of July 12 Poll
A political crisis is unfolding within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the July 12 local government elections, as tensions mount over alleged attempts to impose candidates. Dozens of chairmanship aspirants and party stakeholders across various Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) have voiced strong opposition to what they describe as an undemocratic process.
The discontent follows the release of election guidelines by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), which scheduled the polls to fill 57 chairmanship positions across 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs. While the APC has promoted consensus candidacy as a strategy to streamline its primaries, critics argue it has been hijacked by party elites to handpick loyalists.
According to reports, internal screening committees—formed by APC leaders in multiple councils—have recommended consensus candidates without transparent input from the broader party base. In Ojokoro LCDA, for instance, Mobolaji Sanusi was announced as the consensus candidate by the Ojokoro Apex Council. However, a rival faction subsequently declared Rosiji Yemisi as its preferred candidate, deepening the conflict.
Sources allege that Sanusi’s endorsement was influenced by high-ranking party officials, including Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. Critics argue that Sanusi lacks local electoral history and warn that his imposition could damage the party’s grassroots support in Ojokoro.
Ojokoro APC Leaders Back Sanusi as Consensus Candidate for LG Polls
A similar controversy has erupted in Yaba LCDA, where a coalition of concerned residents and stakeholders accused party leaders of attempting to replace the top scorer in the screening, William Babatunde (85%), with Babatunde Ojo (65%), who ranked 11th among 14 aspirants. The coalition, led by Amoo Ismail, petitioned First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and President Bola Tinubu, urging intervention to stop what they described as a repeat of politically motivated impositions.
“It is unjust for a single individual to override the will of the community,” the petition read. “We call for an inclusive, transparent selection process that reflects the true will of the people.”
Political tension has also surfaced online. Opeyemi Ahmed, spokesperson for the outgoing Agboyi-Ketu LCDA chairman, Dele Osinowo, warned on Facebook (in a now-deleted post) that imposition could cost the APC support in 2027. “Tinubu needs to win Lagos, but if names are being written at the top under the guise of consensus, we risk losing everything,” Ahmed wrote.
Veteran APC chieftain, Fouad Oki, issued a public letter warning that failure to uphold internal democracy could sabotage not only the upcoming council elections but also future general elections. “Unity forged under injustice is brittle,” Oki warned, urging the party to abandon “the politics of imposition.”
In response, Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, dismissed the allegations. He insisted that the primary process was still ongoing and that consensus remained a constitutionally accepted and historically effective method for minimizing post-primary disputes.
“Where consensus is reached, it will be affirmed. Where it is not, primaries will proceed. Nobody is being imposed on anyone,” Oladejo said, emphasizing the party’s commitment to internal democracy and conflict resolution.