A stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State ended abruptly on Monday, following a protest by aggrieved party members over an alleged attempt to impose a chairmanship candidate on the community.
The meeting, which was held at 7 Ijaoye Street around 4:00 p.m., started on a peaceful note but soon descended into chaos as angry party faithful stormed the venue, chanting protest songs and demanding an end to what they described as “imposition of an unfamiliar candidate.”
The protesters, who carried placards and chanted slogans such as “We won’t accept this,” “Who knows Sanusi?” and “No to imposition!” accused the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, of attempting to foist a candidate from neighbouring Agege on the people of Ojokoro.
One of the protest organisers, Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye, who spoke to journalists at the scene, described the meeting as a ploy to validate a candidate with no grassroots ties to the Ojokoro community. He insisted that any aspirant vying for the council chairmanship must be a familiar face with a history of involvement in local party affairs.
“We are totally rejecting any move to install an outsider. There are over 18 aspirants who are bonafide residents and active participants in party activities here. Everyone deserves a fair and level playing ground,” Akinoso-Olawaye declared.
Echoing similar sentiments, another protest leader, Mrs. Bola Ojetayo, expressed displeasure over what she termed an emerging trend of substituting community consensus with personal interests.
“We cannot fold our arms and watch someone who has never served this community emerge as chairman. The people’s will must be respected. Our leaders must learn to listen to the voices of the grassroots,” she said.
In an effort to douse tension, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. James Owolabi, who represented Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, appealed to the protesters to remain calm and avoid violence.
“Your voices are important in this party. Let us engage constructively and avoid anything that may cause division or chaos,” Owolabi pleaded.
Other party chieftains present at the meeting included the incumbent chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Hon. Jelili Oseni; a former lawmaker, Hon. Ipoola Omisore; Alhaji Amosu Aminu; Chief Oriyomi Olaogun; and Akindele Aremu.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has fixed July 12 for the conduct of local government elections across the state.
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