As the date for the primary elections to pick the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Lagos local government elections draw near, leadership of the party in the state have unanimously sought for consensus method to pick the candidates, reports thegazellenews.com.
This is as the state Election Committee has confirmed that the venue for the primary election to pick the party’s Chairmanship candidates for the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas will take place at the Acme Road secretariat of the party.
Saturday, 10 May, 2025 has been slated for the primary elections to pick the party’s Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates for the election coming up on Saturday, 12 July, 2025.
Leaders of the party who spoke at the Stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, 7 May, 2025, urged party members to embrace consensus in picking the candidates of the party.
They also appealed to those who have lost out to embrace peace and cooperate with those who may have emerged winners at the end of the day.
The Chairman of the party in the state, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi told members to embrace peace and remain committed to the unity of the party.
“All eyes are on us. We must be remain loyal and committed to the party. This is the state of the President and we must get it right to make the President proud.
“We have many aspirants jostling for few positions which means we can’t all assume the position at once. Let’s abide by the decision of the leaders. Let’s embrace consensus and support the party in ensuring a seamless electoral process devoid of violence,” he said.
Elder statesman and Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Prince Tajudeen Olusi, advised members to embrace peace noting that consensus is a good electoral process to pick candidates and ensure peace in the party.
“It has happened to me before. I wanted to vie for the Senate but the leaders of the party said I should rather go to the House of Representatives. Initially, I resisted but when the leaders sent a powerful delegation to me, I had no option than to accept and I was given the ticket to go to the House of Representatives. Chief Rabiu Oluwa had to abandon his own aspirations for me,” Prince Olusi said.
He urged members to ensure peace reign in the party noting that those who are not able to make it now maybe fortunate in future.
The Chairman of Conference 57, umbrella organisation for council Chairmen in the state spoke in the same vein.
The Chairman of the Election Committee and former National Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Babatunde Ogala, SAN said the Chairmanship election primary will be held at the party secretariat.
“It is a delegate election hence for security reasons, we feel the secretary can accommodate all those needed for the primary elections for the Chairmanship ticket,” he said.
Ogala told aspirants that they are only to come to the venue with their agent only, “we are only expecting you and your agent, if you come with more than your agent, you will be disqualified”.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat rounded up the address by party leaders urging members to embrace peace and the need to embrace the consensus arrangements as being put forward by the leaders.
