Tension In Lagos APC As Stakeholders Reject Imposed Candidate

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Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos Mainland have rejected any move to grant automatic tickets to aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting on an open and competitive primary process to select the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives.

The party leaders emphasized the importance of internal democracy, stating that no aspirant should be favoured outside the officially recognised primary. They also dismissed claims of factional divisions within the Lagos Mainland chapter, maintaining that the party remains united despite ongoing political activities.

The position follows a recent shadow primary organised by a group known as Mainland Voice to gauge the popularity of aspirants contesting for the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency seat. Four aspirants participated, including incumbent lawmaker Moshood Olanrewaju Oshun, former council chairman Rasheedat Omolola Essien, Kazeem K. Omolaja, and Mr Sawyer.

Results from the exercise showed Omolaja leading with 44 votes out of 82 delegates. Essien secured 26 votes, while Oshun recorded eight votes. Sawyer did not receive any valid votes, with two ballots declared void.

Despite the outcome, party stakeholders reiterated that the exercise does not replace the official APC primary. A party source stated that there would be no consensus arrangement, adding that all aspirants must demonstrate their popularity through the primary election.

The development comes amid growing debate over the candidacy of the incumbent and other contenders. Oshun, who has spent nearly two decades in legislative roles, is reportedly facing increasing pressure from within the constituency, with some stakeholders questioning his continued ambition.

Essien, who previously served as chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government for eight years and has over two decades of public service experience, has formally declared her intention to contest, sparking discussions around generational leadership transition within the party.

Meanwhile, residents of Ebute-Metta (West), under the Lagos Mainland (West) platform, have also opposed any attempt to impose a consensus candidate. The group called for fairness and equal opportunity for all aspirants, while decrying what it described as longstanding political marginalisation of the area.

They noted that since 1999, Ebute-Metta (West) has neither produced an elected representative nor secured significant political appointments, despite its contributions to electoral victories. The group appealed to party leaders at both state and national levels, including the Lagos State Government, to address the imbalance and ensure inclusiveness in the party structure.