APC LG Primaries: Residents Reject APC Chairmanship Candidates In Agege, Orile Agege

Some residents of Agege and Orile-Agege areas of Lagos State have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government primary elections held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the party’s state secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja.

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, aggrieved members of the party staged a protest at the Blue Roof event centre in the Sofunde area of Agege to denounce the results of the primaries and the alleged imposition of candidates.

The protest was organised under the platform of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Agege/Orile-Agege Chapter.

The members gathered to reject the primary election results, accusing the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, of manipulating the process to install his preferred candidates.

According to them, Obasa imposed Hon. Tunde Azeez as the party’s flagbearer in Agege and Akinola Abiodun in Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), contrary to the wishes of the majority of APC members in both communities.

The protesters alleged that the primary election was marred by manipulation, exclusion, and abuse of party structures. They further claimed that the election results did not reflect the true democratic will of party members.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Sabbitu Kamorudeen, Chairman of the PCC in Agege, described the political environment in Agege and Orile-Agege as troubling, citing years of dominance by Obasa, whom he accused of monopolising the local political landscape.

“We acknowledge and respect the supremacy of party structures, but such deference must not be mistaken for passive acceptance of tyranny masquerading as leadership,” Kamorudeen stated.

He added, “We cannot support a scenario where a single individual, wielding unchecked influence, positions himself as the sole determinant of political direction in Agege. That is not discipline, it is political capture, which contradicts the democratic values of our party.”

Kamorudeen alleged that Obasa exercises complete control over local government and ward executives, who are delegates in the primary elections, through a system driven by fear, patronage, and coercion.

He described the system as one that stifles independent voices and suppresses reform-minded aspirants.

“Many of our aspirants were denied access to nomination forms, stripped of endorsements, and subjected to threats aimed at silencing their ambitions—all orchestrated to serve Obasa’s personal agenda,” he alleged.

According to him, Obasa’s leadership style over the past 16 years has polarised the local APC, diminished morale among members, and reduced the party into an instrument of personal ambition.

While reaffirming their loyalty to the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision, Kamorudeen warned that continued suppression would prompt them to demand Obasa’s removal as a member of the House.

“This is Lagos. This is Agege. It is not a political estate to be inherited or transferred at will. We are determined to reclaim our dignity and restore fairness and balance in our party,” he said.

The aggrieved members acknowledged the existence of two major factions within the local APC; the Justice Forum (PCC) and the Obasa Movement, but argued that fairness demands shared representation.

“We welcome healthy political competition. What we reject, firmly and finally, is the use of party structures to enforce a one-man agenda and long-term positioning for a gubernatorial bid,” they declared.

The protesters called on the APC state chairman, National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and other critical stakeholders to intervene and restore internal democracy in the party.

“Leadership must be earned, not imposed. The APC must not be allowed to become the personal property of one individual,” Kamorudeen concluded.