With the July 12 local government elections in Lagos State fast approaching, political unrest is festering within the state chapters of two major political parties—the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).
Internal grievances, allegations of imposition, and leadership disputes are threatening the cohesion of both parties and may ultimately influence the outcome of the elections.
From the grassroots in Ojokoro and Agege to the state party headquarters in Ikeja, party loyalists are raising their voices against perceived injustices and power plays that challenge internal democracy.
Tensions Mount in APC Strongholds
In the APC, particularly in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), discontent among party members erupted into street protests on April 22. The protesters, carrying placards and chanting slogans, accused party leaders of plotting to impose an unknown aspirant as the chairmanship candidate ahead of the party’s primary election.
The protesters alleged that the attempt to sideline credible aspirants undermines internal democratic processes and violates both the Nigerian Constitution and the APC’s guidelines.
“There’s a strong rumour that some leaders are working to impose a stranger on us. We must go to the field to exercise our popularity. The election must be free and fair. The leaders are answerable to the party members,” said one of the protest leaders, Mr Olusegun Alawaye.
This incident follows a similar fracas during a stakeholders’ meeting in the same LCDA on April 14, which ended abruptly amid allegations of manipulation and lack of transparency.
The storm is not limited to Ojokoro. In the Agege Local Government Area (LGA), concerns have also been raised over candidate imposition. A civil society group known as the Concern Group Initiative (CGI) has called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene and ensure a free and fair nomination process in the LGA.
“We’re tired of political impositions,” the group leader, Mr Dele Olajuwon, told journalists. “Let interested and qualified candidates contest. Let the people decide—not a handful of powerful individuals.”
Tensions in Agege have escalated following the rumoured endorsement of Abdulganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, as the APC chairmanship candidate. This has further deepened fears of a predetermined outcome, sparking speculation that some aspirants are being coerced into stepping down.
One such case is that of the Vice Chairman of Agege LGA, Mr Oluwagbenga Abiola, who recently announced his withdrawal from the race. Abiola, widely regarded as a protégé of Obasa, attributed his decision to his loyalty and gratitude for the Speaker’s support throughout his political journey.
“In 2017, I became Secretary to the Local Government and, in 2021, Vice Chairman — all through the party’s and speaker’s support. So, why would I oppose a man who built me politically and helped me grow in experience and influence?” Abiola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He, however, denied allegations that he was forced to withdraw, stating that the party had reached a consensus and he chose to align with its decision.
“Yes, I aspired. Every vice chairman dreams of becoming chairman. But the party has spoken, and I fully agree. Leaders and stakeholders have united. They’ve asked the Speaker to allow his son to contest, and I respect and support that,” he added.
Labour Party Faces Internal Division
The LP in Lagos is also grappling with internal discord following the Supreme Court’s recent verdict removing its National Chairman, Mr Julius Abure. The ruling has triggered a leadership crisis in the Lagos State chapter, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the current state leadership headed by Mrs Dayo Ekong.
While the Ekong-led executive committee was reappointed in March 2025 by Abure, critics within the party argue that the Supreme Court judgment nullifies all actions taken under his authority, including state-level appointments.
Long-standing dissatisfaction with Ekong’s leadership also resurfaced. In August 2024, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ojo Federal Constituency, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, dissociated himself from the Ekong-led exco.
He condemned what he described as illegal congresses and unauthorised sale of local government expressions of interest forms.
According to Sowunmi, the tenure of the state exco expired on January 26, 2024, having been reappointed in October 2023 for just three months. Based on this, he said the Ekong-led executive was illegal and should cease to act on behalf of the party.
Tensions boiled over following the Supreme Court ruling, leading to the violent invasion of the LP secretariat in Ikeja. Protesters, allegedly party members, stormed the premises, chanting anti-Ekong slogans and vandalising property.
Footage circulated online showed broken doors and smashed furniture, and reports claimed documents, cash, and valuables were looted.
Ekong responded in a statement condemning the attack and accusing the invaders of criminal conduct and political thuggery.
“It is with profound indignation and deep concern that I address you today following the brazen and criminal invasion of our party secretariat in Ikeja GRA by armed thugs.
“These individuals, driven by malice and lawlessness, vandalised our property, disrupted our operations, and inflicted harm on our dedicated office assistant and her young daughter, who were present during this cowardly attack. Such violence against innocent citizens and the sanctity of democratic spaces is utterly reprehensible and will not be tolerated,” she said.
APC Dismisses Allegations
In response to the protests within the APC, the party’s Lagos State spokesperson, Hon. Seye Oladejo, urged members to remain calm and allow the primary election process to reach its conclusion before making any allegations of imposition.
“No one can protest imposition until we say the primaries are over and candidates officially emerge, duly authorised by the leadership of the party at the state level. How do you start speaking of imposition when the process of screening is just on, and nobody has been disqualified or denied their rights to run on the basis of any kind of discrimination? That’s a strange one,” Oladejo told THE WHISTLER.
He dismissed the protests as premature and cautioned against “crying wolf where there is none”.
When asked if the party would consider pacifying those protesting, Oladejo said such measures would only be relevant if the process was found to be flawed after candidates emerge.
“We can’t start speaking about pacification until candidates emerge and it’s established that the process is flawed or some people feel cheated or undermined; that’s when you can start talking about pacifying people.
“If candidates have not emerged, what will be the basis for saying that some people have been undermined or denied their rights to run in a free and fair primary?” he queried.
Legal Dispute Rocks LP
Adding a legal dimension to the LP’s crisis, Yahweh Law Office—a Lagos-based firm representing Mr. Oluwasegun Sekonu, a registered party member—has written a petition to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
The petition challenges the authority of the Ekong-led Lagos State Executive Committee to present candidates for the upcoming elections.
Citing the Supreme Court judgment in Senator Esther Nenadi & Anor vs Labour Party & Anor (Suit No: SC/CV/56/2025), which nullified Abure’s chairmanship, the petition argued that all decisions made under his leadership—including the March 13, 2025, appointment of the Lagos exco—are null and void.
“Any action carried out under the cloak of such unlawful authority – including the Constitution of the State Executive Committee – is null and void ab initio and of no legal effect whatsoever,” said the Principal Partner at Yahweh Law Office, Osato Oforomeh.
The petition, shared on X by Hon. Okufuwa Samad Oluwatoyin, warned LASIEC that recognising the Ekong-led exco’s candidates would amount to contempt of court and jeopardise the legal standing of the election results.
“It is trite law that a person cannot give what he/she does not have, and an action rooted in illegality cannot be legitimised merely by the passage of time.
“Accordingly, the Lagos State Executive Committee of the Labour Party appointed under such defective authority cannot validly present candidates for any elective position under the Labour Party platform,” the letter noted.
The situation threatens to plunge the LP deeper into factional battles, a problem that has plagued the party nationally and now risks undermining its electoral prospects in Lagos.
Efforts to reach Ekong proved abortive as she did not pick up her calls or respond to a message sent to her by our correspondent. However, speaking with THE WHISTLER, the State Secretary of the party, Mr Sam Emeka Okpala, dismissed the actions of Sekonu as a needless distraction, stating that the party has no time for such antics.
He clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision did not invalidate the chairmanship of Abure but rather reaffirmed the constitutional right of political parties to manage their internal affairs.
“For us as a party, it’s preposterous for somebody who said he’s a member to write to an institution like LASIEC asking her not to recognise candidates from the party. How do we begin to add them together?” he questioned.
“The truth is that INEC/LASIEC doesn’t take instructions from individuals. INEC is an institution; it’s a regulatory body that deals with and oversees political party activities. And they’ve their line of communication. So whatever leadership that exists in any political party is known to INEC. If the leadership of a party is no longer valid or legally constituted, it’s INEC that will communicate the same to LASIEC,” Okpala explained.
