By Peter Dansu The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has officially published the names of candidates expected to fl...
By Peter Dansu
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has officially published the names of candidates expected to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 general elections across the state, bringing a fresh twist to the lingering controversies surrounding the party primaries in Badagry.
Among those listed is Hon. Onilude Segun Adeniran, immediate past Chairman of Badagry Local Government, who emerged as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing Badagry Federal Constituency.
The publication, which appeared in the May 25, 2026 edition of The Nation newspaper, is being viewed by many party members and observers as the party’s official position on the disputed primaries.
Before the publication, conflicting claims had trailed the House of Representatives primary, with both the camp of Hon. Onilude and that of the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, insisting they won the exercise. Social media platforms were flooded with different result sheets, documents and declarations from both camps, deepening uncertainty over the authentic winner.
However, with the APC’s officially published list now naming Onilude as the candidate, many believe the party may have finally settled the matter, at least administratively.
Despite the publication, members of the incumbent lawmaker’s camp have continued to question the credibility of the primary process. They alleged that the results recognised by the party were manipulated and included figures from wards where elections allegedly did not take place.
The affected areas cited by the camp include Ibereko, Apa, Keta East, Araromi-Ilogbo and Ajara wards.
Particular attention has been drawn to Ward J in Ajara, where the camp alleged that the total valid votes recorded exceeded the number of registered APC members in the ward.
According to figures referenced from APC membership registration records, Ward J reportedly has 6,561 registered party members. However, a result sheet circulated on social media and allegedly linked to the Onilude camp reportedly showed 6,831 valid votes for the ward, a figure higher than the registered membership strength.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official public response from the APC leadership in Lagos State regarding the allegations raised by the incumbent camp.
The controversies were not limited to the House of Representatives primary alone.
For the Lagos State House of Assembly seats in Badagry Constituencies I and II, the APC published the name of Hon. Gbenu Joseph as the candidate for Badagry Constituency I, and Hon. Oladunjoye Yusuf Olatunde as the candidate for Badagry Constituency II, leaving out incumbent lawmakers Hon. (Engr) Setonji David, who currently serves as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Hon. Bonu Solomon Saanu.
Just like the federal constituency primary, the assembly primaries also witnessed disputes, with different aspirants and camps laying claim to victory while alleging irregularities and manipulation during the exercise.
However, with the publication officially signed by Lagos APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi, political observers say the party leadership may have drawn a line under the prolonged contest over the party’s official candidates in Badagry ahead of the 2027 elections.
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