One of the chairmanship aspirants in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC), Local Government Primaries, Mobolaji Sanusi, who did not scale through has succumbed to fate, saying party decision is final and supremacy must prevail above personal interest.
The exercise, held at Lagos APC Secretariat, ACME, Ikeja, on Saturday, 10 May, 2025, was in line with stipulated regulations by the umpire, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, as a requisite for all political parties towards the July 12 council polls across the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs.
Sanusi, a leading contender in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, however, contested “the released score” of 21 to 2 against him as “outrageously concocted.”
According to a statement by Sanusi, “Hours ago, our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State through my respected learned silk, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, Chairman Electoral Committee announced the winners of the Local Government chairmanship primaries that held in its ACME, Ikeja secretariat.
“I participated in the primaries as an aspirant seeking the party’s mandate to vie for the position of Ojokoro LCDA chairmanship stool. The outcome of the Electoral College primaries is out, and the names of winners made public.
“Yours sincerely was not considered good enough by the party to represent the good people of Ojokoro. The decision couldn’t have been for lack of requisite qualifications and experience.
“From being an editor of a prominent national newspaper that handled staff and managed resources across the 36 states and Abuja without blemish, managing a local council development area shouldn’t be a challenge.
“Again, as a former Managing Director, MD/CEO of Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency, LASAA, a regulatory and revenue generating agency in Lagos State, l had managed men and material resources across the 57 local council branches of the agency with commendable savvy.
“My antecedent at LASAA remains a worthy model in steadfast leadership that is still being talked about to date. So, handling a single local government can only be a selfless public service that would have been done for the betterment of the people, the community, and the glory of Lagos State.
“Our LCDA leaders, 12 out of 18 of them, including a notable politician and woman leader voluntarily signed for me to be our LCDA consensus candidate but our party, under Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, knows best.
“The released score of 21-2 against my person is outrageously concocted but absolutely fine by me. For the records, I didn’t lose the Saturday primary election in APC ACME Secretariat and those behind the laughable score line would have their conscience to contend with, forever. However, l stand with this decision as a loyal party man. The party has spoken and its final.
“We have moved past the stage of complaint to the period of reality. The decision of the party is final, and once again, l reiterate that I abide with it with my readiness to contribute to its success, going forward.
“I thank my well-wishers, especially Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa who motivated and stood by me all through the period of my attempts to get the party ticket.
“To him and thousands of my other well-wishers: We have not lost. Just that my Ojokoro LCDA community has been denied the opportunity of having a competent, credible, reliable, and tested hand to run its affairs for the next four years.
“Leaving this contest with my integrity intact is my greatest joy. After all, l am a professional in politics, not a professional politician. Life continues. God bless Lagos State. God bless Nigeria.”
