Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege and Orile-Agege local government areas of Lagos have refuted allegations that candidates for the upcoming July 12, 2025, council elections were imposed on the party.
The denial follows controversies that have trailed the party’s primaries held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the APC state secretariat. While candidates emerged through a mix of delegate voting and consensus across the state’s 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas, critics have claimed the process was skewed and prearranged.
In Agege and Orile-Agege, where Alhaji Tunde Azeez and Idowu Akinola respectively emerged as chairmanship candidates, similar allegations of imposition surfaced. But party leaders in both councils have come out strongly against such claims.
Following a strategic meeting held at the Agege Local Government Secretariat on Tuesday, prominent APC stakeholders jointly issued a communiqué discrediting the imposition narrative.
The communiqué was signed by key political figures including Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashir Obasa; Hon. Jubril Kareem (Agege 02, Lagos Assembly); Hon. Dr. Wale Ahmed (House of Representatives); and several commissioners, advisers, and current and former local government leaders.
The leaders declared the primary elections in all 13 wards of Agege and Orile-Agege to be transparent and credible, describing those protesting the outcome as “sore losers” who had long disconnected from both the party and the communities.
They specifically named some of the dissenting voices, former House of Representatives member Dr. Samuel Adejare, former lawmaker Oluyinka Ogundimu, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, and chairmanship aspirants Biodun Ogunji and Bukola Sofidiya as individuals who no longer reside in the area or actively participate in local party affairs.
“It is general knowledge that the party adopted consensus or delegate voting for the primaries, with local government excos serving as delegates. These excos were formed about four years ago, during which time the aforementioned individuals distanced themselves from the party and community,” the statement read.
The leaders argued that it is misleading to portray the process as flawed and insisted that the emergence of candidates followed due process, reflecting the will of party stakeholders on the ground.
They concluded by asserting that only those actively engaged in the party and community affairs are qualified to seek elective positions, dismissing dissenters as disconnected and unqualified contenders.
