Scores of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday staged a protest at the party’s Lagos State Secretariat in Ikeja, demanding a review of House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly primary election results in some constituencies over alleged irregularities.
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 legislative primaries.
The APC conducted its legislative primaries in May and announced the successful candidates.
However, some aspirants and party members have continued to challenge the outcomes, alleging that the declared results did not reflect the choices made during the direct primary elections.
The protesters urged the party leadership and relevant appeal panels to review the conduct of the exercises and address alleged procedural breaches.
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 procedural lapses, including the absence of an official membership register during accreditation.
He further claimed that accreditation was conducted using APC slips that were not properly verified or officially recognised.
The aspirant called on the appeal committee to investigate the accreditation and voting process and nullify the election outcome.
Similarly, House of Assembly aspirant for Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, David Doherty, faulted the transparency of the exercise, alleging that aspirants were excluded from key decisions ahead of 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 called for the cancellation of the constituency’s results and sanctions against anyone found culpable of misconduct or violence.
Petitioners from Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency also alleged irregularities, including result manipulation, improper collation procedures and breaches of electoral guidelines.
According to them, some electoral 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 accreditation procedures were not properly followed.
The petitioners demanded 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 maintained that party members should be allowed to choose their representatives through a transparent and credible process.
Ola alleged that Doherty emerged victorious in the primary election but that some party leaders were attempting to overturn the outcome.
Another protester from Agege Local Government Area, Oluwasola Olugbemi, warned against what he described as attempts to impose candidates on party members, arguing that such actions weaken confidence in the democratic process.
Protesters from Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I and Somolu Constituency II also submitted petitions alleging attempts to alter the outcomes of their primaries and appealed to the party leadership to uphold results already forwarded to the APC National Secretariat.
The demonstrators maintained that the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process was at stake and called for a transparent resolution of all disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite the morning rainfall, the protesters gathered outside the secretariat chanting solidarity songs and demanding action on their grievances.
Reacting, the Lagos State chapter of the APC dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging 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 respected members’ constitutional right to express grievances through lawful means, such actions should be conducted responsibly.
She noted that the primary election process had been concluded and that established internal mechanisms already existed for resolving disputes arising from the exercise.
The party urged aggrieved aspirants and members to utilise appropriate channels in the interest of unity, fairness and the continued growth of the APC.
It also advised members, stakeholders and the public to disregard misleading reports and rely on official party communication platforms for updates.
