Politics

JUST IN: APC members protest in Lagos, want chairman removed

Published

7 months ago

July 28, 2025

JUST IN: APC members protest in Lagos, want chairman removed

Hundreds of furious All Progressives Congress (APC) members, primarily from the Mandate Group, descended on the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, decrying what they called “undue marginalization” within the party.

Wielding placards with bold messages like “Ojelabi must go,” and and “Faleke is destroying APC,” the protesters demanded an end to the alleged favouritism toward the Justice Forum in the allocation of council appointments and elective positions.

The demonstration, which began early in the morning and stretched into the afternoon, saw scores of heavily armed policemen deployed to prevent any descent into violence.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, was personally on the scene, directing his team to ensure the protest remained peaceful and was not “hijacked by hoodlums.”

At the heart of the unrest is Lagos APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, whom the protesters accused of running a “rudderless leadership” since taking the helm in 2021.

In a scathing letter addressed to the governor, the Mandate Group pulled no punches, declaring, “We are compelled by current circumstances in the political climate of Lagos State to openly demonstrate our displeasure with the management of the affairs of our great party.”

The letter further lambasted Ojelabi, stating, “Our party in the State has been under rudderless leadership since Pastor Ojelabi took over in 2021. This lack of vision and integrity is rubbing off adversely on the management of the political party in the State.”

READ ALSO:

The protesters pointed to the 2025 Local Government elections as a low point, alleging Ojelabi “assembled the notoriously biased team to conduct the worst primary election in the history of our progressive party in Lagos State.”

They contrasted his tenure with the “inclusive and successful” leadership of past chairmen like Abiodun Ogunleye, Otunba Henry Ajomale, and Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, who they claimed prioritized all members’ interests.

Voices from the protest underscored the depth of the grievances.

Bayonle Taofik from Ikosi-Isheri decried the imbalance in the ward executive structure: “Justice Forum is now controlling everything in Ikosi-Isheri. In a ward where we should have 25 or 27 excos, all the chairmen are being elected by a lopsided exco. Why can’t we have 12-12 or 13-13? It’s not fair. We want the ward executives to be redistributed between Justice Forum and Mandate Forum. Let LG appointments go round!”

Yusuf Salau from Lagos Island added, “Justice Forum is controlling almost every council in Lagos. There’s no balance in the sharing formula. Our leaders must sit down and resolve this on a roundtable.”

Olusamo Ganiyat from Igando-Ikotun Central lamented, “We’re being completely marginalised in our local government. We need a restructuring of the council arrangement. The Mandate Group deserves fair representation. They told us to be one, but they’re monopolising everything!”

READ ALSO:

The letter didn’t spare Ojelabi’s allies, particularly targeting Hon. James Faleke and accusing their “parochial, narrow-minded and self-centred team” of planning to “further polarize the party with one-sided composition of the local government executives” to entrench a “winner-takes-all agenda” ahead of the 2027 elections.

The group warned that this could lead to another electoral disaster, referencing the APC’s shocking loss of Lagos State to the opposition in 2023 and a “shabby performance” in the recent local government polls.

Babatunde Kayode voiced the protesters’ fears, saying, “We don’t want Ojelabi to be ruling us again and we don’t want him to spoil the party for us. We don’t want to lose Lagos State again, that is why we want Ojelabi to leave the seat. We want another person to take over because we don’t want to lose 2027 election. We want Tinubu to win again in 2027.”

Kayode Orinlade echoed: “Ojelabi should go. He’s the worst chairman we’ve ever had. He has done nothing for us and only promotes division.”

“We are tired with his selfish leadership and the plot of his team to derail from the progressive ideals championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the letter read, while reaffirming the group’s loyalty to the APC and their “continuous strong support for the success of President Tinubu’s RENEWED HOPE Agenda and Governor Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ Agenda.”

The protesters demanded Ojelabi’s immediate removal, urging party leaders to “ask Pastor Ojelabi to leave the party now to avoid another imminent disaster in our party administration” and to allow those with constitutional responsibilities to act without “external influences of certain actors with selfish interests.”

JUST IN: APC members protest in Lagos, want chairman removed

Up Next

2027: Fayose publicly endorses Tinubu, Oyebanji for re-election

Don't Miss

2027: South East group raises N200m to buy APC presidential form for Tinubu

Politics

Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

Published

40 minutes ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Tinubu and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike

Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding contributions to the success of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recently concluded 2026 FCT Area Council elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted polls across the six area councils of the FCT — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali — on February 21, 2026. The APC secured victories in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, and Kwali, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in Gwagwalada.

In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, Tinubu congratulated all successful candidates and praised the peaceful and credible conduct of the elections, noting the efforts of INEC, security agencies, and voters.

READ ALSO:

The President singled out Minister Wike — a member of the opposition PDP — for special commendation, saying his work in the FCT contributed to significant political gains for the APC. The statement read:

“President Tinubu commends the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his remarkable achievements in the territory, which have yielded political dividends to the governing APC. He congratulates the APC national leadership, as well as party structures in Kano and Rivers states, for the victories at the polls.”

Tinubu urged newly elected officials to govern with humility, dedication, and patriotism, emphasizing that their mandates are a sacred trust from the people. He also noted that the elections are a boost to Nigeria’s democratic development, reinforcing democratic institutions and culture.

The statement highlighted the importance of continued electoral reforms, calling on INEC to enhance its processes to ensure even more transparent and credible elections in the future.

While the elections were largely peaceful, FCT officials acknowledged that voter turnout varied, being higher in satellite towns than in city centre areas. Minister Wike praised security agencies and residents for maintaining order during the exercise.

The FCT Area Council elections are seen as a significant indicator for the APC’s performance ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the results bolstering the party’s position in key political zones.

Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

Politics

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

Published

3 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced plans to challenge the outcome of the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, declaring that it is heading to court with what it described as strong video and documentary evidence of electoral irregularities.

The move follows the conclusion of voting across the six FCT area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali — with official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showing a clear advantage for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the results, the APC won chairmanship seats in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari and Kwali, while the PDP recorded its only victory in Gwagwalada Area Council.

PDP Sets Up Legal Team

In a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, the PDP disclosed that it has constituted a special legal team to prosecute all election-related petitions arising from the FCT council polls. The team is headed by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u.

READ ALSO:

The party urged all its candidates dissatisfied with the election outcomes to immediately submit petitions and supporting materials, warning that delays could weaken their cases at the election tribunals.

Claims of Intimidation and Manipulation

The PDP accused security agencies and other actors of interfering in the electoral process, alleging widespread intimidation, vote suppression, and manipulation at polling units and during result collation.

“We specifically congratulate the Chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors declared successful by INEC,” the statement said.

“This victory, though fewer than expected, is particularly significant given the background of unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage witnessed during the elections.”

The party insisted it has visual records allegedly showing armed security personnel carting away result sheets, intimidating voters, and influencing outcomes in several polling units.

Voter Apathy and Electoral Reform

Beyond the legal challenge, the PDP blamed low voter turnout on what it described as declining public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system. The party argued that repeated controversies surrounding elections have weakened confidence among voters.

It warned that the FCT council elections could be a signal ahead of the 2027 general elections if urgent reforms are not implemented.

Call for Intervention

The opposition party called on the President and the National Assembly to urgently intervene by reforming the electoral framework, strengthening transparency, and limiting security interference in elections.

With post-election litigation now looming, political focus in the FCT is shifting from the ballot box to the courtroom as parties prepare for legal battles that could reshape grassroots governance in the nation’s capital.

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

Politics

FCT Council polls: APC Wins Four Chairmanship Seats as PDP Takes Gwagwalada

Published

3 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

FCT Council polls: APC Wins Four Chairmanship Seats as PDP Takes Gwagwalada

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded a strong showing in the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, securing four chairmanship seats across the Federal Capital Territory, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed victory in Gwagwalada Area Council.

The elections were conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the six FCT councils — AMAC, Bwari, Kwali, Abaji, Gwagwalada and Kuje — with chairmen and councillors elected to oversee grassroots governance.

AMAC: Maikalangu Re-elected

In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was re-elected after polling 40,295 votes, the highest in the contest. A total of 62,861 valid votes were recorded out of 65,197 votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) placed second with 12,109 votes, while the PDP trailed with 3,398 votes. Rejected votes stood at 2,336, with 837,338 registered voters and 65,676 accredited voters in the council.

READ ALSO:

Bwari: APC Clinches Clear Win

In Bwari Area Council, Joshua Ishaku of the APC emerged winner with 18,466 votes, defeating candidates of the ADC (4,254 votes) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) (3,515 votes). The election covered 10 wards, including Kubwa, Ushafa, Dutse, Byazhin and Bwari Central.

Kwali: APC Extends Lead

The APC also won in Kwali Area Council, where Daniel Nuhu secured the chairmanship seat with 17,032 votes, beating Haruna Pai of the PDP who polled 8,575 votes.

Abaji: APC Dominates

In Abaji Area Council, Umar Abdullahi Abubakar of the APC was declared winner after scoring 15,535 votes. The Young Progressives Party (YPP) followed with 5,357 votes, while the PDP recorded 4,547 votes. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and ADC polled 53 and 37 votes respectively.

Gwagwalada: PDP Breaks APC Run

The PDP secured its only victory so far in Gwagwalada Area Council, preventing an APC sweep of the FCT councils.

Kuje Result Awaited

As of the time of filing this report, results from Kuje Area Council were still being awaited, with collation ongoing and an official announcement expected shortly.

Election Snapshot

So far, the APC has won in AMAC, Bwari, Kwali and Abaji, while the PDP has taken Gwagwalada, leaving Kuje as the final undecided council. The polls were largely peaceful, though voter turnout varied across councils.