Peter Dansu The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, has addressed growing tensions w...
Peter Dansu
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, has addressed growing tensions within the party over the appointment of Supervisors and Special Advisers across the 57 local councils, insisting that selection will be based on merit and local input — not imposition.
His response came after some aggrieved party members stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, demanding his removal and accusing him and other party leaders of sidelining the grassroots and imposing candidates without proper consultation.
Protesters from across the state’s local councils carried placards reading “Ojelabi Must Go,” “Faleke is a Betrayal,” and “Stop Killing Grassroots Politics.” Their major concern: that after the just-concluded local government elections, party leaders hijacked the process of appointing key council officials like Supervisors and Secretaries, shutting out committed local members.
Ogumba Adetunbosun, a protest leader from Ikorodu, said the process lacked transparency.
“Chairmen and vice-chairmen have emerged, but now we’re being sidelined in appointing Supervisors and Secretaries. There was no consultation, no engagement — that’s not democracy,” he said.
Another protester, Mrs. Bola Balogun from Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, accused some top party leaders of turning democracy into dictatorship.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu said Supervisors shouldn't be appointed for two months — why? We’re worried they just want to impose their people. We voted for the Governor and President Tinubu, not for Ojelabi or Faleke to choke the system,” she added.
While the protest gained traction, reactions among party elders were mixed. A member of the party’s powerful Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Chief Muraina Taiwo, backed calls for Ojelabi’s removal, claiming the chairman was loyal only to a faction of the party known as the “Justice Forum,” ignoring other blocs like the “Mandate Group.”
Muraina expressed frustration that under Ojelabi’s watch, some longtime party loyalists were sidelined.
“In Oshodi, they knew my son was contesting for councillorship, but they manipulated the process and claimed they wanted a female instead — all because we’re not aligned with their faction,” he said.
Another GAC member who spoke anonymously said the matter had not been officially discussed at any GAC meeting, but acknowledged that the concerns were legitimate and should be addressed.
“We will look into it. Our duty is to ensure peace and unity in the party,” he said.
Reacting to the protest and allegations, Ojelabi said he was not losing sleep over the drama, describing the accusations as baseless and politically motivated.
“How is the party not working for them when we just won 375 out of 376 councillorship seats and secured all 57 chairmanship positions?” he asked.
He explained that Governor Sanwo-Olu had advised newly sworn-in chairmen to take 30 to 45 days to settle in before making appointments.
“We want things done differently now. Supervisors and Special Advisers will not be chosen at the state level. Each local government leadership will propose names based on merit and contribution to the party’s success. That’s how it should be,” he said.
Ojelabi stressed that those agitating for immediate appointments were only doing so because they felt excluded from the process, not because the system was flawed.
“The process has not even started. Why are they agitating? They’re putting the cart before the horse. It’s not going to be business as usual,” he added.
On uniting aggrieved members, Ojelabi said time and transparency would heal the divide.
“Once the local leadership recommends their nominees, that’s what we’ll work with. It won’t be about who you know, but what you’ve contributed,” he said.
The Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, also weighed in with a statement, assuring members that the party recognized their right to peaceful protest but urged them to follow proper internal channels for resolving disputes.
“There’s no plan to impose any nominee. All selections will follow laid-down party rules and be made in consultation with local leaders,” Oladejo said.
He added that the state party leadership only plays an advisory role and that local councils hold the power to nominate their Supervisors and SAs.
“We remain open to dialogue. But let’s follow the right channels. The goal is to keep the party united and focused ahead of future elections,” he said.
As tensions continue to simmer, all eyes are now on the next 30 to 45 days, when local leaders are expected to submit their lists of nominees. Whether that process brings unity or more division remains to be seen.
ليست هناك تعليقات