Tensions are rising within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as members of the party’s Governance Advisory Council (GAC) are split over growing calls for the removal of the state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi.
The controversy erupted after several aggrieved party members staged a protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, accusing Ojelabi of imposing candidates and ignoring grassroots voices during the just-concluded local government elections.
Protesters from various local councils carried placards reading:
“Ojelabi Must Go,” “Faleke Is a Betrayal,” and “Ojelabi, Mr. Voter’s Apathy.”One protester, Ogumba Adetunbosun from Ikorodu, said the crisis stemmed from the undemocratic appointment of LG supervisors and secretaries:
“Chairmen and vice-chairmen have emerged, but when it came to appointing supervisors and secretaries, we were sidelined. That’s not democracy.”
Another protester, Mrs. Bola Balogun from Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, accused the party leadership of stifling grassroots participation:
“They want to impose appointees on us. Ojelabi and Faleke are choking the Lagos APC.”Amid the unrest, GAC member Muraina Taiwo voiced support for Ojelabi’s removal, accusing the chairman of favoring a faction known as the Justice Forum, to the detriment of others like the Mandate group.
“Out of all 57 LGs, Justice Forum members took all councillor slots. If they don’t change things before 2027, we’ll lose badly,” Muraina warned.
However, another GAC member who chose to remain anonymous told reporters that Ojelabi’s removal had not been discussed at any official GAC meeting, though concerns raised by members wouldn’t be ignored.
“We haven’t discussed his removal at GAC. But we’ll examine the situation and handle it accordingly,” the source said.
Ojelabi ReactsIn his response, Chairman Ojelabi dismissed the protests as baseless and lacking merit, arguing that under his leadership, the APC achieved overwhelming electoral success in the LG polls.
“We won 375 out of 376 councillor seats and all 57 council chairmanship positions. Yet they say we’re not delivering?”He said critics are merely frustrated because the usual political rewards didn’t come instantly:
“They expect us to appoint supervisors the day after the chairmen were sworn in? Governance takes planning. Give them 30 days to understand what they’re inheriting.”
On the process of appointing supervisors, Ojelabi clarified that the responsibility lies with local leaders, not the state executive:
“It’s the LG leadership that will recommend names based on contribution. This is not about favoritism. You must have worked for it.”He insisted the issue is internal and would be resolved soon:
“This is an in-house matter. We’ll settle it. I’m not bothered.”
The brewing crisis within Lagos APC underscores deepening factional divides and power tussles that may shape the party’s prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
