Lagos Mainland, Yaba Council Candidates To Be Chosen By Consensus – APC Panel

The Electoral Committee of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed that candidates for the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area (LGA) and the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) will emerge through consensus.

This decision comes after the primaries held on Saturday in Ikeja to select candidates for the July 12 local government elections failed to produce winners in the two councils. The primaries, which were conducted across 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs, successfully produced 55 candidates from about 500 aspirants, but the remaining two councils could not reach a conclusive outcome.

The chairman of the electoral committee, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), confirmed that the party had resolved the candidacy issues for the two outstanding councils through consensus. He noted that this approach was necessary to ensure unity and harmony within the party ahead of the upcoming local government polls.

“By the grace of God, we have resolved the issues, and our candidates are emerging by consensus.

“It will be by consensus of the members, and I can assure you that there will be no protest,” Ogala told The PUNCH.

Speaking on how the committee, and by extension, the party, was able to handle the numerous aspirants to produce 57 candidates, he said, “We engaged, and many people withdrew. We negotiated the exit, and the aspiring party members respected the party, and to help the party, they also made sacrifices.”

“You will see our full list in the next couple of hours.”

Party insiders have revealed that despite efforts to reach consensus on candidates for the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area (LGA) and Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), some aspirants remain resistant, prolonging the standoff even as party leaders continue marathon meetings to resolve the impasse.

“They were in a marathon meeting on Sunday. Aspirants are not agreeing on consensus. (But) The party leaders don’t want them to vote.

“(President Bola) Tinubu already warned them not to impose,” a member of the party privy to the developments said on condition of anonymity.

On Saturday, several disgruntled members of the AllProgressives Congress (APC) staged protests against what they described as the “imposition” of candidates in these areas. The demonstrators first gathered on Apapa Road in Ebute Metta before moving to the premises of Arise TV on Victoria Island, where they aired their grievances.

During the primaries held the same day, no candidates emerged for Lagos Mainland LGA and Yaba LCDA, unlike the 55 other councils where candidates were either chosen through consensus or elected by delegates.

However, the party’s spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, and the chairman of the electoral committee, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), have both denied allegations of candidate imposition, insisting that the selection processes were fair and in line with party guidelines.