A total of 55 chairmanship candidates of the All Progressives Congress have emerged following the party’s primary elections conducted on Saturday in Ikeja, Lagos State, ahead of the July 12 local government polls.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that out of the expected 57 candidates for the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, two did not emerge due to unresolved legal issues affecting the primaries in Yaba LCDA and Mainland LCDA.
Consequently, delegates were not present for the exercise in those areas.
The party’s primaries saw a mix of consensus and delegate voting, with no fewer than 1,539 delegates anticipated to participate across the various councils. Each council where primaries held had 27 delegates casting votes.
Chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Babatunde Ogala, who announced the results, disclosed that while four candidates emerged through consensus and were affirmed by their delegates, the remaining 51 secured their candidacy through delegate voting.
“The candidates that emerged via consensus and were affirmed by their delegates are Isa Jubril (Iba LCDA), Motunrayo Gbadebo (Ijede LCDA), Rasaq Kasali (Lekki LCDA), and Azeez Kareem (Otto Awori LCDA),” Ogala stated.
Among those declared winners through delegate voting are Usman Hamzat (Ifako-Ijaiye LG), Hameed Aroyehun (Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA), Oluyemisi Rosiji (Ojokoro LCDA), Moyosore Ogunlewe (Kosofe LG), Olufemi Okeowo (Ifelodun LCDA), Olamilekan Akindipe (Ajeromi Ifelodun LG), and Suleiman Yusuf (Surulere LG).
Others who emerged victorious include Azeez Ogidan (Coker Aguda LCDA), Tola Oyedele (Agboyi-Ketu LCDA), Taoreed Taiwo (Ejigbo LCDA), Muibi Alade (Lagos Island East), Sanusi Ismail (Amuwo-Odofin LG), Muibat Rufia (Ojo LG), and Taiwo Oyekan (Lagos Island LG).
Further winners named by the committee are Wale Hameed (Ikorodu North LG), Samsudeen Agunbiade (Eti-Osa East LG), Humpey Babatunde (Badagry), Sura Animashaun (Epe LG), Adebayo Olasoju (Isolo LCDA), and Sesan Olowa (Ibeju-Lekki LCDA).
Also declared elected are Wale Alomo (Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA), Rauf Ibrahim (Badagry West LCDA), Adedayo Ladega (Ikorodu LG), Rasak Oloyede (Oriade LCDA), Abiodun Akinola (Orile Agege LCDA), Lateef Ashimin (Somolu), Bolanle Bada (Ikosi-Isheri LCDA), Kehinde Oloyede (Oshodi-Isolo LG), Sunday Benson (Imota LCDA), and Kazeem Sulaiman (Ikorodu West LCDA).
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), Jimoh Olawale (Apapa Iganmu), 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) also made the list of confirmed candidates.
The final set of chairmanship flag bearers include 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).
Despite the overall success of the exercise, NAN reports that some aspirants and their agents expressed dissatisfaction and protested the outcomes in a few councils.
Acknowledging the concerns, Mr. Ogala said, “There might be a few human errors,” and urged aggrieved individuals to follow the party’s appeal process.
He added, “The committee’s decision could be overturned by the APC Appeal Committee if confronted with facts.”
Commending delegates for their cooperation and patience, Ogala described the process as transparent and aimed at advancing the party’s interests.
NAN also reported that councillorship primaries were conducted simultaneously across various wards in the state.
