Lagos APC primaries: Ikeja residents protest alleged imposition of Chairmanship candidate

…call on President Tinubu to intervene

Controversy has continued to trail the Chairmanship and Councillorship primaries conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC, Lagos Chapter) on May 10, as some residents of the Ikeja local government protested the alleged imposition of APC Chairmanship candidate.

Speaking on behalf of the Ikeja Concerned Residents, David Olorunda, at a press conference in Ikeja, said the residents and youths in particular were disappointed with the imposition, saying there was no primary election.

He said the process that produced the preferred candidate was not transparent and absolute disregard for fairness.

Olorunda explained that other Chairmanship aspirants were locked out of the venue for over three hours, saying When they were finally allowed in, they were met with pressure to step down.

 “And shockingly, the Local Government Excos entered the venue alongside the preferred candidate, suggesting clear compromise. This was not an election. This was a betrayal. And we cannot remain silent”, he added.

He stated “We want the entire country and especially our dear President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to hear this. This is his own local government, his constituency, the same Ikeja he fought so hard to uplift. What happened here is a disgrace to his legacy.

“We believe Mr. President will not take this lightly. We believe he will want to act because this is not just about politics, it’s about protecting the foundation of democracy that he himself helped to build.

“We say this with all seriousness: we will not open our eyes and allow this kind of injustice to continue. Let history not repeat itself when we lost Ikeja in the presidential election to the opposition. Without credible grassroots leadership, we are handing over our strongholds to our enemies.We need strong, just, and widely accepted leadership at the grassroots beginning right here in Ikeja.

“To the leaders who allowed this to happen—how do you sleep at night, knowing that you locked the gates of democracy against your own people? You forced candidates to step down. You handed power to one man while others watched in frustration.

“This is the local government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a man of justice, fairness, and democratic values. Is this how you honor him?”.