Primaries: Protesters storm Lagos APC secretariat, express grievances

Scores of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday protested at the party’s Lagos State secretariat in Ikeja, seeking cancellation of results in some constituencies over alleged irregularities.

The APC conducted its House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries in May and subsequently released names of successful candidates.

However, some members and aspirants have questioned the outcomes, alleging that the results did not reflect the wishes of party members who participated in the direct primaries.

The protesters demanded cancellation of some results, urging the party to investigate alleged irregularities during the primaries.

The protesters , from Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Amuwo Odofin Constituency II, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I, Somolu Constituency II and other areas, urged the APC leadership and appeal committees to investigate the conduct of the elections and address their grievances.

In a petition, House of Representatives aspirant, Ayodele Adewale, challenged the outcome of the primary in Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency.

Adewale alleged that the election across the constituency’s 11 wards was characterised by serious procedural irregularities, including the absence of an official membership register during accreditation.

He also claimed that party members were accredited with APC slips without proper verification and that many of the slips used were unofficial.

Adewale urged the appeal committee to investigate the accreditation and voting processes and nullify the election results.

Similarly, House of Assembly aspirant for Amuwo Odofin Constituency II, Mr David Doherty, alleged that the process lacked transparency and that aspirants were excluded from key decisions before the election.

He also alleged that some armed men disrupted voting in some riverine wards by shooting sporadically during the exercise, forcing party members to flee.

Doherty called for cancellation of the results in the constituency, demanding sanctions against anyone culpable of electoral malpractice and violence.

In Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, petitioners alleged result manipulation, irregular collation and widespread violations of electoral procedures.

They claimed that some electoral officers failed to report to the designated collation centre and that results were altered.

The petitioners also alleged inflation of votes in some wards and failure to conduct proper accreditation..

They demanded verification of ward-level results and forensic examination of disputed result sheets and signatures.

Speaking on behalf of protesters from Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, Prince Hakeem Ola described the alleged injustice against Doherty as unacceptable.

Ola said party members should be allowed to freely choose their representatives through credible democratic process.

He alleged that Doherty won the primary election in the constituency, but that some party leaders were making attempts to overturn the outcome.

Another protester, Mr Oluwasola Olugbemi from Agege Local Government Area, cautioned against the imposition of candidates on party members.

Olugbemi argued that disregarding the wishes of party members contradicted democratic principles and undermined the credibility of the electoral process.

Some protesters from Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I and Somolu Constituency II also petitioned the party over alleged attempts to overturn primary election outcomes.

They urged the party leadership to uphold the results already transmitted to the APC National Secretariat.

The protesters maintained that the integrity of the APC’s internal democratic process was at stake and called for transparent resolution of all disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The protesters, who defied the morning rain, chanted solidarity songs outside the APC secretariat while demanding action on their grievances.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State APC dismissed reports circulating on social media that its chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, was harassed or molested during the protest.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the APC Chairman, Mrs Omobola Akingbehin, the party said Ojelabi was not present at the secretariat when the incident occurred.

Akingbehin said the party respected the constitutional right of individuals to express grievances through lawful means but urged members to conduct protests responsibly.

She noted that the primary election process had been concluded and that internal mechanisms for resolving grievances arising from the exercise were already in place.

The APC therefore encouraged aggrieved persons to utilise the established channels in the interest of unity, fairness and the continued progress of the party.

Akingbehin also urged members, stakeholders and the public to disregard misleading narratives and rely only on information disseminated through official party channels.
NAN