Over 500 APC aspirants jostle for 57 Lagos council seats

With more than 500 aspirants contesting for the 57 chairmanship positions across Lagos State’s 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the race for the upcoming local government elections is highly competitive.

In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its weight behind consensus as the preferred method for candidate selection ahead of the July 12 polls.

During a stakeholders’ meeting at the APC secretariat in Ikeja on Wednesday, top party leaders including Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, House Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, and National Assembly members called on aspirants to support consensus in the interest of party unity.

“This has always been our practice, and I encourage us to support the consensus approach,” Hamzat said.

State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, echoed the need for unity, reminding party faithful of the significance of Lagos to the current administration.

“The President is from Lagos, and all eyes are on us. We must not disappoint him—we must make him proud and redeem our image.”

Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Chief Tajudeen Olusi, described consensus as a practical necessity in light of the crowded race.

“In some wards, we have as many as 12 aspirants for a single councillorship seat. We must take things easy, talk to ourselves and concede,” he said.

Babatunde Ogala (SAN), chairman of the party’s Electoral Committee, stated that indirect primaries would be conducted in any constituency where consensus fails.

He noted that chairmanship primaries will take place at the state secretariat, while councillorship primaries are scheduled to be held at ward levels.