- The local government elections in Lagos state are fixed for July 22 and the trouble is brewing already
- With 23 days left to the polls, 15 out of the chairmanship aspirants have taken their protests to the streets
- The aggrieved candidates protested in Amuwo Odofin local government area
A whooping 15 out of the 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirants in Amuwo Odofin local government area on Thursday, June 29, organized a protest rally across the council area.
The protest was over what they called “unacceptable imposition” of consensus chairmanship candidate on residents of the council for the poll.
Hon Risikat Adegeye, (Wife of King Sunny Ade), Otunba Adebanjo Ayeni and Captain Adebayo Dosunmu, among others were part of the protest.
The protesters took to the streets
During the rally, the 15 aspirants rejected the decision to pick Comrade Valentine Braimoh who the party said emerged as the consensus candidate in the area.
According Vanguard, earlier reconciliatory efforts by APC leaders of the Lagos state chapter to resolve the lingering crisis as a result of the controversial primaries election were quite unsuccessful.
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The resulting protest started from the 11 Road, party meeting point to First Avenue, 41 road, Festac Town, the party secretariat and later terminated at council secretariat, Third Avenue.
At the secretariat, they met with the sole administrator, Mr Bamidele Oki, in company of policemen from the Area “E’ Command, who provided security as well as ensure that the rally was not hijacked by miscreants.
Ayeni said: “From the all indications, we had a successful peaceful rally today. We have been able to gain the support of the electorate, leaders and the majority of the residents., the choice of Valentine as our consensus candidate in Amuwo Odofin, is unacceptable, undemocratic and injustice.
“We have all resolved that this will not stand until justice is done by the party leadership.
“If this matter is not addressed promptly, before the election on July 22, 2017, it portends grave danger for APC if they do not want to lose to opposition parties like that of the 2015 General elections.
“We are confident because the favourable response to our yearnings, as demonstrated in today’s protest will guarantee the victory of APC in our LGA.
"Provided the right and qualified candidates, both chairmanship and councilors who were democratically and truly elected during the primaries were given their mandate, otherwise the party will fail to secure victory in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.
“Valentine has even failed to engage us (aggrieved aspirants) in a meeting on the way to resolve the crisis but rather prefer to approach the party leaders at the state level because he is not popular in Amuwo-odofin.”
While speaking, Dosunmu said: “We are ready to step down for one of us, among the 15 aspirants to be chosen rather than allow Valentine who has contributed nothing to the development of the party to represent us at Amuwo Odofin.
“We have written several petitions to the party leadership, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our well respected leader but we are still awaiting positive response from him."
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The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), elections into the office(s) of Chairmen and Councilors in the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs in Lagos will hold on that day.
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