Lagos APC denies plot to impose candidates for primaries

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has dismissed insinuations that the party has prepared a predetermined list of candidates ahead of its primaries for the House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, the party maintained that it remains committed to direct primaries in the event that consensus cannot be reached on any candidature after broad consultations.

The clarification came in response to claims by a group identified as “Concerned Members of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress,” which alleged a plot by some party leaders to impose preferred candidates for the forthcoming primaries.

The group, led by one Tunde Samson, accused Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, House of Representatives member, James Faleke, APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, and party chieftain Mutiu Aare of allegedly compiling a predetermined list of candidates ahead of the primaries.

It alleged that the move violates the party’s commitment to direct primaries and undermines the rights of members to freely choose candidates.

Reacting, Ojelabi described the allegations as baseless, mischievous, and aimed at creating a false impression of crisis within the party.

“We state without equivocation that there is no plot, no clandestine meetings, and no predetermined list of candidates as falsely alleged,” he said.

He added that it was unfortunate that some individuals, unable to advance their ambitions through legitimate party channels, had resorted to “propaganda, blackmail and anonymous media sensationalism.”

Ojelabi stressed that the allegations were a “desperate fabrication, a reckless exercise in mischief, and a calculated attempt to inflame passions within our great party.”

He noted that the Electoral Act clearly defines the lawful process for candidate emergence, adding that the APC remains guided by both the law and its internal guidelines.

“For the avoidance of doubt, where consensus cannot be reached through broad consultation and mutual agreement, there shall be direct primaries. This position is settled, lawful and non-negotiable,” he said.

The APC chairman further reaffirmed the party’s commitment to internal democracy, insisting that it would not be distracted by what he described as sponsored misinformation and political propaganda.

“The Lagos APC remains a disciplined and institution-driven political family founded on consultation, inclusiveness and respect for democratic norms. The voice of duly registered party members remains supreme,” he added.

He urged members of the party and the public to disregard what he called the antics of faceless groups and political opportunists, insisting that internal democracy would prevail in the selection of candidates.