The Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has threatened a protest over the outcome of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Lagos State, alleging irregularities and bias in the selection process.
Mrs Tinubu-Ojo made the claim on Wednesday during a meeting with market leaders and stakeholders in Alausa, Ikeja, where she accused party leaders of manipulating the process in favour of the Justice Forum bloc within the Lagos APC.
She specifically faulted the results of the House of Representatives primaries for Mushin Federal Constituency 2, Agege Constituency 2, and Ojokoro constituency, insisting that the process did not reflect the true outcome of the contests.
“We are ready to protest” — Tinubu-Ojo
Mrs Tinubu-Ojo warned that market leaders were prepared to take to the streets if the party fails to address the alleged irregularities in the primaries ahead of final ratification.
“We are ready to protest because of Seye Oladejo of Mushin Federal Constituency 02, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo of Agege 2 constituency, Olotu Ojo of Ojokoro constituency, because we know they won this election. Their mandate should not be given to somebody else,” Mrs Tinubu-Ojo said.
She urged the leadership of the APC at both state and national levels to urgently review the disputed primaries to prevent further escalation of internal tensions within the party.
Allegations of factional politics in Lagos APC
Mrs Tinubu-Ojo also alleged that internal divisions within the Lagos APC were being shaped by factional interests between the Justice Forum and Mandate Group.
She warned that such divisions could weaken party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections and called for a return to fairness and internal cohesion.
“We have to cry out now. Let APC cancel Justice and Mandate Forums. We are one family. We are for APC,” she said.
She further argued that political loyalty and performance, rather than factional affiliation, should determine candidacy selection within the party.
Market leaders reaffirm support for APC
Despite her criticisms, Mrs Tinubu-Ojo reaffirmed the support of market women across Lagos State for the APC, including backing for key party candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
She emphasized that traders remain a crucial voting bloc in Lagos politics and deserve greater inclusion in governance and political decision-making.
She also called for greater recognition of market associations in political appointments and policy formulation, stressing their role in sustaining the state’s economy.
The Lagos APC had earlier released its list of candidates for the 2027 general elections following primaries for House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly seats.
The list, signed by the state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, announced 24 House of Representatives candidates and 40 House of Assembly candidates across constituencies in the state.
However, the outcome has continued to generate internal controversy, with allegations of favoritism and factional dominance within the party structure.
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