By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Chief Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi and Barrister Azeez Yusuf have described their recent expulsion by the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as belated and politically unnecessary, insisting that they had already resigned from the party in July 2026, weeks before the expulsion announcement.
The duo made their position known in a joint statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday, 23 September, 2026, reacting to the APC’s announcement of their expulsion.
They explained that they had already communicated their resignation, moved on politically and subsequently joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), with their defection publicly reported by several newspapers at the time.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we resigned from the APC in July 2026, weeks before the Party announced our purported expulsion on September 23. We had already made our decision, communicated our position and moved on politically,” the statement read.
Egunjobi and Yusuf questioned the logic behind the party’s action, insisting that the latest announcement did not alter their political status since they had already left.
“The question, therefore, is simple: How can a Party expel people who had already resigned from its membership? The latest announcement does not change our political status. We had already left,” they said.
Narrating the events leading to their departure, the duo explained that they had won their respective constituency primaries but were subsequently denied their tickets, prompting them to pursue internal remedies through petitions, representations and press conferences, while repeatedly seeking the intervention of party leadership.
“Following the Party’s primary elections, which we won in our respective constituencies but were subsequently denied, we did everything reasonably possible to seek justice within the Party. We submitted petitions, made representations and held press conferences,” they said.
According to them, their concerns were never meaningfully addressed, leaving them with no option but to exit the party after exhausting available internal avenues.
“There was no genuine engagement, no satisfactory resolution and no meaningful effort to restore confidence in the process. Having exhausted the available avenues, we made the legitimate political decision to leave the APC,” they said.
The duo described the September 23 expulsion announcement as an attempt to rewrite a political history that had already been settled, insisting the move raised concerns about internal democracy and due process within the party.
“To announce the expulsion of people who had resigned weeks earlier is not a demonstration of political strength. Rather, it raises serious questions about respect for internal democracy, due process and the right of party members to make legitimate political choices,” they said.
They further described the party’s action as a manifestation of political impunity, insisting they would not be intimidated by what they termed theatrics.
“We consider this approach a disturbing manifestation of political impunity, the use of institutional authority to create the impression that a political decision was imposed on people who had already exercised their constitutional and political right to walk away. We will not be intimidated by such theatrics,” they said.
Placing their decision within the broader context of Nigerian politics, Egunjobi and Yusuf argued that cross-carpeting remained a familiar feature of the political landscape, citing several examples of politicians who had moved between parties and, in some cases, returned to their former political homes.
They cited Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before later returning to the APC, as well as Dr Wale Ahmed, currently serving as campaign coordinator for the Tinubu/Hamzat ticket in Agege, who had previously left the APC for the PDP, where he served as Publicity Secretary and was openly critical of President Bola Tinubu.
They also referenced Hon. Jubril AbdulKareem, who left the APC to contest on the platform of the Accord Party; and Sola Osolana, now associated with the campaign of Gbenga Abiola, who had previously left the APC for the PDP to contest for the Agege Local Government chairmanship and later the Agege Federal Constituency seat, before returning to the APC.
“These are not allegations. They are examples of the political journeys of individuals who have operated across party lines at different times. If political movement is acceptable when others do it, why is our own decision suddenly being presented as an offence deserving expulsion? We reject that double standard,” they said.
The duo maintained that their exit from the APC was not an act of hostility towards the party’s leaders or candidates, disclosing that they remained committed to the candidacies of President Tinubu, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Senator Idiat Adebule and Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa, and were currently working for the success of the Tinubu/Hamzat political project in Agege, despite having left the APC.
“Our departure from the APC should not be confused with a rejection of the broader political leadership we have continued to work with and support. Despite everything that has happened, we remain firmly committed to the candidacies of our principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Senator Idiat Adebule; and Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa,” they said.
They urged those attempting to portray their defection as an act of betrayal to reconsider the narrative, insisting that party membership should not amount to a lifetime sentence.
“Democracy gives citizens and politicians the right to make political choices. Party membership should not become a lifetime sentence, and disagreement with party leadership should not be treated as political treason. We have chosen the APM platform to pursue our political aspirations, and we stand by that decision,” they said.
Egunjobi and Yusuf rounded off the statement by reaffirming their focus on Agege and Lagos State’s development, urging their supporters to remain calm and disciplined.
“We remain focused on Agege, the welfare of our people and the development of Lagos State. We will not be distracted by belated political declarations, nor will we engage in needless personal attacks. Our message is simple: we resigned, we moved on, and we remain focused on the political future ahead. We urge our supporters to remain calm, disciplined and focused. The political journey continues,” they said.
