A stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, descended into chaos following allegations of candidate imposition by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
Gists9ja reports that the meeting, held on Monday at 7, Ijaoye Street, initially started on a calm note around 4:00 p.m. However, tensions quickly escalated as disgruntled party members stormed the venue in protest, accusing the Speaker of attempting to force a candidate from Agege on the people of Ojokoro.
Chanting slogans like “Ole!” (Thief), “We can’t take it!”, and “Obasa can’t control us from Agege,” the protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the process, arguing that only a local with grassroots experience in Ojokoro should contest for the council chairmanship position.
One of the protesters, Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye, told reporters that the meeting’s purpose was to rubber-stamp a candidate who had no history or connection with the community. He emphasized the need for fairness and equal opportunity for all aspirants.
“We came here to reject this imposition. A chairmanship candidate must be someone who lives here, knows our people, has worked for the party, and has participated in our local politics,” he said.
“If we allow this to happen, it will set a dangerous precedent. We must protect the integrity of our political process.”
Akinoso-Olawaye added that no fewer than 18 aspirants were vying for the position, and each had loyal supporters who deserved a transparent and competitive selection process.
Another protest leader, Bola Ojetayo, criticized party leaders for placing personal interests above the collective will of Ojokoro residents.
“We’re here to say no to outsiders deciding our fate. A stranger cannot govern us. This is our home. We must choose our own leaders,” she said.
“You cannot sit in Agege and determine who will lead Ojokoro.”
In a bid to calm tensions, James Owolabi, a former House of Representatives member who represented Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, urged protesters to remain peaceful.
“You have the right to express your grievances. But please, let’s avoid violence. Let’s be civil and use the party’s internal mechanisms to resolve these issues,” he advised.
Other APC leaders present at the gathering included Jelili Oseni, the incumbent council chairman, and Ipoola Omisore, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The incident underscores growing unrest within local chapters of the APC as grassroots members push back against alleged top-down political decisions ahead of local government elections.
