The Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has received over 100 petitions from aggrieved aspirants contesting the results of the party’s local government primaries, which were held last Saturday to select candidates for the upcoming July 12 local government elections.
Naija News understands that the petitions come from APC aspirants across the state, who are challenging the outcome of the primaries conducted in the 57 local councils of Lagos.
The complaints mainly concern alleged irregularities, imposition of candidates, and lack of transparency in the election process.
According to sources within the party who spoke with Punch, as of Wednesday, the committee had received 45 petitions from aspirants vying for chairmanship positions and 59 petitions from those contesting for councillorship positions.
The spokesperson for the Lagos APC, Oluseye Oladejo, confirmed the receipt of the petitions in a chat with Punch.
He stated, “We have received 45 chairmanship petitions and 59 councillorship petitions. The committee will conclude its assignment this week.”
The appeal committee was set up by the party on Monday, led by Lawal Pedro (SAN), the Attorney General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, to address the concerns raised by the aggrieved members.
The petitioners are largely dissatisfied with the outcomes of the primaries, which were conducted through indirect elections and consensus in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of Lagos.
Since the results were announced, protests have erupted across several areas, with Lagosians from Agege, Ikeja, Somolu, and other districts rejecting the outcome and accusing some party leaders of imposing candidates.
In light of the growing discontent, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), a civil society group, has called for an investigation into the controversies surrounding the APC primaries in Lagos State.
The group warned that the irregularities and protests that followed the primaries could have far-reaching implications, particularly for the 2027 general election.
Speaking at a press conference in Abule Egba, Lagos, on Wednesday, UAD’s General Secretary, Kunle Ajayi, said, “The APC primary election is an example of how local government autonomy and democracy are being undermined by the powers that be, denying the working people ample chances to participate in true governance.”
Ajayi further noted that the protests, especially in Agege, had highlighted serious concerns about the integrity of the primaries.
“These actions not only threaten the sanctity of the democratic process but also set a dangerous precedent for future elections, including the 2027 general election,” he added.
The UAD expressed fears that if the allegations of imposition were not thoroughly investigated, it could negatively affect the 2027 general elections and alienate Nigerians from democratic participation.
“We stand firm in our resolve to expose, challenge, and resist all forms of anti-democratic manipulation. We call on all lovers of democracy, within and outside Nigeria, to join us in the struggle,” Ajayi declared.
In response to the allegations, the APC executives in Lagos have denied claims of candidate imposition during the primaries.