The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with internal unrest following the party’s recent local government primary elections, particularly in the Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where leaders remain divided over the party’s chairmanship candidate.
A faction of APC leaders in the LCDA has endorsed Abiodun Ejigbadero as the party’s flagbearer, backing his emergence from the May 10 primary election. However, a counter-faction has rejected the process, decrying what they term the imposition of a candidate lacking proper party credentials.
In a communiqué issued after a leadership meeting on May 27, 2025, the pro-Ejigbadero faction declared unwavering support for his candidacy. “We, the leaders of the APC in Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA, hereby resolve that we accept the emergence of Abiodun Ejigbadero as the party’s candidate. We pledge our full support to ensure APC’s victory in the forthcoming election,” the statement, signed by E.O Adedeji (Chairman) and Shola Akande (Acting Secretary), read.
The group dismissed the protests trailing the primaries as distractions from “a disgruntled aspirant pursuing personal ambitions.”
However, tensions escalated when another group of APC stakeholders led by the party’s Apex Leader in the area, Olusegun Shodiya, held a press conference challenging Ejigbadero’s legitimacy. Flanked by other party stalwarts, including Alhaji Olanrewaju Baruwa, LG Vice Chairman Funmilayo Ojelabi, and Woman Leader Mary Ishola, Shodiya alleged that Ejigbadero had no verifiable history of party involvement and did not emerge the rightful winner of the primary.
“We’ve taken this principled position in the long-term interest of the APC. No one should expect right-thinking members to accept a candidate who didn’t earn his mandate,” Shodiya asserted.
The group is advocating for the current council chairman, David Famuyiwa, to be given a second term, citing his proven performance, party loyalty, and adherence to internal party traditions.
This local crisis is not isolated. Similar grievances are brewing in other LGAs such as Agege, Orile Agege, and Yaba, where members have also rejected the outcomes of primaries for both chairmanship and councillorship positions.
Responding to the growing unrest, the Lagos APC spokesperson, Chief Seye Oladejo, told Hobnob News that the party is actively working to resolve all outstanding disputes and maintain unity ahead of the local government elections.
As the situation unfolds, observers say the way the party handles these internal rifts could significantly influence its chances at the polls and long-term cohesion.
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