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LAGOS, Nigeria - In preparation for the local government election on July 12 in Lagos State, four Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) have reached a consensus regarding the ongoing chairmanship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party's secretariat in Ogba.
The councils that have selected their candidates through consensus are Iba LCDA with Isa Jubreel, Oto-Awori LCDA with Azeez Kareem, Ijede LCDA with Motunrayo Gbadebo, and Lekki LCDA with Hassan Kasali.
The decision was shared on Saturday by the electoral committee chairman, Babatunde Ogala, who indicated that priority would be given to local council areas that settled on a consensus.
A small incident occurred when the chairman inquired if there were other aspirants willing to withdraw before voting began.
The chairman of Kosofe announced that one candidate, Olayinka Rabiu, had withdrawn from the race. However, the chairman requested written proof of the withdrawal, which could not be provided.
Consequently, Ogala stated that such a withdrawal was not valid and noted that the aspirant must announce their decision themselves.
The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, had previously urged the aspirants and delegates to maintain order.
He emphasized the importance of the event, stating, “We take this very seriously; the President is observing our actions because this is his State. Development begins at the Local Government level. We appreciate your participation. As you commit your time to the party, may God bless you.”
He noted that some local governments had reached agreements, and their leadership would be prioritized.
"On behalf of the President and the Governor, let’s ensure this is carried out peacefully. We value the presence of the LASIEC chairman who is here to oversee the process," Hamzat concluded.
