By Esther Onyegbula
LAGOS—Tensions flared again in Lagos on Tuesday as scores of aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, staged a protest against the alleged imposition of Mr. Adebayo Adefuye as the party’s chairmanship candidate for the July 12 local government elections.
The protest, which coincided with the official flag presentation to APC candidates across the state, underscored growing internal dissent within the party, especially in Yaba LCDA, where stakeholders say the candidate lacks local legitimacy.
Protesters, drawn from multiple wards within the council, marched from Adekunle Roundabout to the Sabo area, carrying placards with messages such as “Adebayo is an Alien,” “Yaba Rejects Adefuye,” and “Asiwaju, Save Our Soul.”
Mr. Ismail Olorunimbe, a prominent APC chieftain from Ward C, led the protest and called on President Bola Tinubu and other national party leaders to intervene. He alleged that Adefuye, who is believed to hail from neighbouring Somolu Local Government, was earlier rejected as a candidate there and is now being imposed on Yaba LCDA despite having no political, economic, or residential ties to the area.
“This is an insult to the loyal APC members who have worked hard over the years in Yaba,” Olorunimbe said. “We had 13 qualified aspirants who showed interest in this position. Instead of choosing among them, the party leadership is forcing someone who is alien to us. We won’t accept this.”
Olorunimbe further criticized the process that produced Adefuye, describing it as lacking transparency and consultation. While expressing continued loyalty to the APC, he warned that the imposition could damage the party’s chances at the polls and erode grassroots support.
Joining the protest, Mrs. Rasidat Ojoobaro, another senior party member, cautioned that failure to address the grievances could push loyal members to seek “self-help.” Mrs. Tayo Funsho echoed similar sentiments, urging the party to honour the voice of its grassroots base.
Tuesday’s protest is the latest in a series of tensions that have trailed the run-up to the local elections in Lagos. Notably, primaries held on May 10 failed to produce candidates in Lagos Mainland and Yaba LCDA due to ongoing litigations, leaving the field open to political manoeuvring.
The APC has yet to issue an official response to the Yaba protest as of press time.
With just under a month to the polls, the internal crisis in Yaba LCDA poses a critical test of the APC’s candidate selection process and its ability to maintain party cohesion amid rising discontent.
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