The All Progressives Congress (APC) held primary elections on Saturday, July 1st, in Ikeja, Lagos State, to select its candidates for the upcoming Local Government elections scheduled for July 12th. The primaries, designed to choose flag bearers for the chairmanship positions in the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), saw a substantial turnout of delegates. While the expected delegate count was 1,539, primaries were not conducted in two LCDAs – Yaba and Mainland – due to ongoing legal disputes, resulting in the absence of delegates from those areas. Out of the expected 57 chairmanship candidates, 55 emerged from the primaries, with four chosen through consensus and 51 elected through voting by delegates. Each council holding elections saw 27 delegates participating in the voting process.
Mr. Babatunde Ogala, the Chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, oversaw the primaries and announced the results. Four candidates emerged via consensus: Isa Jubril (Iba LCDA), Motunrayo Gbadebo (Ijede LCDA), Rasaq Kasali (Lekki LCDA), and Azeez Kareem (Otto Awori LCDA). Their candidacies were affirmed by the delegates present. The remaining 51 candidates were elected through a voting process. Among the winners were prominent figures such as Usman Hamzat for Ifako-Ijaiye LG, Hameed Aroyehun for Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, and Moyosore Ogunlewe for Kosofe LG.
The list of elected candidates encompassed a diverse range of individuals representing various LGs and LCDAs across Lagos State. Among them were Oluyemisi Rosiji (Ojokoro LCDA), Olufemi Okeowo (Ifelodun LCDA), Olamilekan Akindipe (Ajeromi Ifelodun LG), Suleiman Yusuf (Surulere LG), Azeez Ogidan (Coker Aguda LCDA), Tola Oyedele (Agboyi-Ketu LCDA), and Taoreed Taiwo (Ejigbo LCDA). The primaries also saw the emergence of Muibi Alade as the candidate for Lagos Island East, Sanusi Ismail for Amuwo-Odofin LG, Muibat Rufia for Ojo LG, and Taiwo Oyekan for Lagos Island LG.
The APC primaries also determined candidates for LGs and LCDAs such as Ikorodu North LG (Wale Hameed), Eti-Osa East LG (Samsudeen Agunbiade), Badadry (Humpey Babatunde), Epe LG (Sura Animashaun), Isolo LCDA (Adebayo Olasoju), and Ibeju-Lekki LCDA (Sesan Olowa). Further successful candidates included Wale Alomo (Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA), Rauf Ibrahim (Badagry West LCDA), Adedayo Ladega (Ikorodu LG), Rasak Oloyede (Oriade LCDA), Abiodun Akinola (Orile Agege LCDA), and Lateef Ashimin (Somolu).
The APC primaries continued to produce candidates for various areas, including Bolanle Bada for Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Kehinde Oloyede for Oshodi-Isolo LG, Sunday Benson for Imota LCDA, and Kazeem Sulaiman for Ikorodu West LCDA. Among others elected were Shobanjo Idowu (Apapa), Peter Ajose (Olorunda LCDA), Monsuru Ismail (Eredo LCDA), Opeyemi Akindele (Mosan Okunola LCDA), Abiodun Agbaje (Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA), Ibrahim Akinpelu (Alimosho LG), and Jimoh Olawale (Apapa Iganmu).
The final group of elected candidates comprised Bukola Omofe (Bariga LCDA), Tunbosun Aruwe (Mushin LG), Olusegun Odunmbaku (Ojodu), Idris Balogun (Egbe-Idimu), Lasisi Akinsanya (Ikotun-Igando LCDA), Akeem Dauda (Ikeja LG), and Lawal Jakande (Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA). Rounding out the list were Bola Oladunjoye (Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA), Moyo Adebanjo (Onigbongbo LCDA), Adeola Sheriff (Eti-Osa LCDA), Babatunde Azeez (Agege LG), Aminat Alabi (Iru/Victoria Island LCDA), Daniel Olufemi (Itire Ikate LCDA), and Jimoh Ishola (Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA). While the primaries were largely peaceful, some aspirants and their agents protested the outcomes of the primaries in some LGs. Acknowledging the possibility of human errors, Mr. Ogala encouraged aggrieved aspirants to utilize the established appeals process. He emphasized the transparency of the exercise and its alignment with the party’s best interests. Concurrently, councillorship primaries were also held across various wards in the state.
