LAGOS — Scores of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday staged a protest at the party’s Lagos State Secretariat in Ikeja, demanding the cancellation of primary election results in several constituencies over alleged irregularities and procedural breaches.
The protesters, drawn from constituencies including 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 House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly primaries.
The APC conducted its legislative primaries in May and subsequently announced the names of successful candidates. However, some aspirants and party members have continued to challenge the outcomes, insisting that the published results did not reflect the wishes of party members expressed during the direct primary elections.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs despite heavy rainfall, the demonstrators urged the party’s leadership and relevant appeal panels to review the conduct of the elections and address what they described as widespread electoral irregularities.
One of the petitions was submitted by House of Representatives aspirant for Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, Ayodele Adewale, who challenged the outcome of the primary election in the constituency.
Adewale alleged that the exercise across the constituency’s 11 wards was marred by serious procedural violations, including the absence of an official membership register during accreditation. He further claimed that accreditation was conducted using APC slips that were neither properly verified nor officially recognised.
The aspirant called on 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, David Doherty, questioned the transparency of the exercise, alleging that aspirants were excluded from critical decisions leading up to the election.
Doherty also alleged that armed individuals disrupted voting in some riverine communities by firing gunshots, forcing party members to flee polling locations. He demanded the cancellation of the constituency’s results and sanctions against anyone found culpable of electoral misconduct or violence.
In Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, petitioners accused electoral officials of widespread irregularities, including result manipulation, improper collation procedures and violations of electoral guidelines.
According to the petitioners, some officials failed to appear at designated collation centres, while certain results were allegedly altered. They further claimed that votes were inflated in some wards and that proper accreditation procedures were not followed.
The petitioners called for 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, alleging that Doherty emerged victorious in the primary election but was being denied recognition.
Another protester from Agege Local Government Area, Oluwasola Olugbemi, warned against what he described as attempts to impose candidates on party members.
He argued that disregarding the preferences of party 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 outcomes of their respective primaries. They urged the party leadership to uphold the results already forwarded to the APC National Secretariat.
The demonstrators insisted that the credibility of the APC’s internal democratic process was at stake and called for a transparent resolution of all disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the APC dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the state chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, was harassed during the protest.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Omobola Akingbehin, the party clarified that Ojelabi was not present at the secretariat when the protest took place.
Akingbehin stated that while the party respects the constitutional right of members to express grievances through lawful means, such actions should be carried out responsibly.
She noted that the primary election process had been concluded and that established internal mechanisms were already available for resolving disputes arising from the exercise.
The party further encouraged aggrieved aspirants and members to utilise appropriate channels in the interest of unity, fairness and the continued growth of the APC.
Akingbehin also urged party members, stakeholders and the public to disregard what she described as misleading reports and rely solely on information released through official party communication platforms.
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