On Tuesday, a large group of All Progressives Congress (APC) members gathered at the party’s Lagos State Secretariat in Ikeja to demand the cancellation of primary election results from several constituencies, citing widespread irregularities. The protesters, representing areas such as Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I, and Somolu Constituency II, called on the party leadership to investigate complaints arising from the recently concluded primaries for the House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly.
The APC held its legislative primaries in May and subsequently announced the names of successful candidates. However, many aspirants and party members continue to challenge the outcomes, insisting that the published results do not reflect the true will of party members expressed during direct primaries. The protesters urged the party’s leadership and relevant appeal panels to review the conduct of the elections and address what they described as widespread procedural violations.
One of the petitioners, Mr. Ayodele Adewale, an aspirant for the House of Representatives in Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, challenged the primary outcome. He alleged that the exercise across the constituency’s 11 wards was marred by significant procedural breaches, including the absence of an official membership register during accreditation. He further claimed that accreditation was conducted using unverified APC slips. Adewale called on the appeal committee to thoroughly investigate the accreditation and voting processes and nullify the election result.
Similarly, Mr. David Doherty, a House of Assembly aspirant for Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, criticized the transparency of the exercise, alleging that aspirants were excluded from critical decisions leading up to the election. He also reported that armed individuals disrupted voting in some riverine communities by firing gunshots, causing party members to flee. Doherty demanded the cancellation of the constituency’s results and sanctions against anyone found guilty of electoral misconduct or violence.
In Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, petitioners alleged widespread irregularities, including result manipulation, improper collation procedures, and breaches of electoral guidelines. They claimed that some electoral officials failed to appear at designated collation centers and that certain results were altered. They also alleged vote inflation in some wards and a lack of proper accreditation. The petitioners requested a verification of ward-level results and a forensic review of disputed result sheets and signatures.
Speaking on behalf of protesters from Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, Prince Hakeem Ola described the alleged treatment of Doherty as unfair and unacceptable. He maintained that party members should be allowed to freely choose their representatives through a transparent and credible democratic process. Ola alleged that Doherty emerged victorious in the primary but that some party leaders were attempting to overturn the outcome.
Another protester from Agege Local Government Area, Mr. Oluwasola Olugbemi, warned against efforts to impose candidates on party members, arguing that ignoring the preferences of members undermines democratic values and weakens confidence in the electoral process. Protesters from Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I and Somolu Constituency II also submitted petitions alleging attempts to alter the results of their respective primaries. They appealed to the party leadership to uphold the results already forwarded to the APC National Secretariat, insisting that the credibility of the party’s internal democracy was at stake.
Despite morning rainfall, the protesters gathered outside the party secretariat, chanting solidarity songs and demanding action on their grievances. Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the APC dismissed social media reports claiming that the state chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, was harassed during the protest. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mrs. Omobola Akingbehin, the party clarified that Ojelabi was not at the secretariat when the protest occurred. Akingbehin stated that while the party respects members’ constitutional right to express grievances through lawful means, such actions should be carried out responsibly. She noted that the primary election process has been concluded and that established internal mechanisms exist for resolving disputes. The party encouraged aggrieved members to use the appropriate channels in the interest of unity and fairness. Akingbehin also urged the public to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official party communications.