Tensions flared within the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday as party members from across the state took to the Lagos State House of Assembly in a peaceful protest against what they described as the “imposition” of appointees at the local government level.
The protesters drawn from all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) also called for the immediate removal of the APC State Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, whom they accused of hijacking internal party processes.
Carrying placards with messages such as “Ojelabi Must Go” and “We Want Fresh Leadership,” the demonstrators gathered in large numbers around the Assembly complex, prompting the deployment of security personnel to maintain order and prevent any breakdown of law and order.
In response to the growing unrest, Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat made an unscheduled appearance at the protest venue to engage with the crowd. He urged restraint, assuring them that the matter was an internal party issue and would be resolved amicably.
“This is a party matter. It will be handled within the structures of the APC,” Hamzat said, appealing for calm.
Segun Faleye, the leader of the protesting members and spokesperson for the group, submitted a formal petition to the Assembly. He accused Ojelabi of steering the Lagos APC away from its founding values and claimed that the party base had endured enough under his leadership.
Faleye pointed to the alleged manipulation of the 2025 local government primaries, which he described as “the worst in the history of Lagos State,” accusing Ojelabi of handpicking a biased electoral committee to favour his loyalists.
“The 2025 primaries were a complete mess,” Faleye said. “Party members were sidelined, and the outcome lacked legitimacy. It was an insult to our internal democracy.”
He also blamed Ojelabi for the APC’s 2023 presidential election loss in Lagos State, calling it a historic low for the party since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
“This is the first time, since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, that the APC lost Lagos to the opposition in a presidential election. That speaks volumes,” he added.
Faleye accused Ojelabi’s leadership of prioritising personal and factional interests over the party’s broader goals and alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s progressive ideals.
“We are tired of his selfish leadership and the actions of his loyalists, who are now trying to derail the vision of President Tinubu for a stronger, united, and forward-looking APC,” he stated.
The protest is the latest sign of internal discontent within the Lagos APC, as grassroots members call for accountability and an overhaul of the state’s political leadership ahead of upcoming elections.
