APC to Review Petitions Over Lagos Reps Primaries Irregularities

APC to Review Petitions Over Lagos Reps Primaries Irregularities

The Chairman of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary Committee, Sheu Yipmong, has assured aggrieved aspirants that the party will constitute an election petition panel to review complaints arising from the House of Representatives primary elections conducted across the state.

Yipmong gave the assurance while addressing journalists at the APC Secretariat in ACME, Ogba, following reports of irregularities in some local government areas during the exercise.

According to him, the party leadership is closely monitoring developments surrounding the outcome of the primaries and remains committed to ensuring that grievances and petitions submitted by aspirants are properly examined.

He added that the committee would make recommendations after reviewing all complaints brought before it.

Despite the controversies trailing the exercise in some areas, Yipmong expressed satisfaction with the turnout of party members at various polling centres, describing it as a reflection of the APC’s acceptance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Meanwhile, one of the aspirants for the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency ticket, Prince Hakeem Animashaun, has called on the party leadership to launch an independent investigation into the conduct of the primary election in the constituency.

Animashaun, who led supporters on a peaceful protest to the party secretariat to submit a petition, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in areas where irregularities were allegedly recorded.

The aspirant dissociated himself and his supporters from the alleged malpractices witnessed during the exercise and demanded a free, fair, and transparent electoral process.

According to him, party members were initially enthusiastic about the primaries due to the large turnout witnessed across wards, but the process later became disappointing because laid-down guidelines were allegedly ignored.

Animashaun alleged that the directive requiring members to present their party membership slips alongside valid means of identification was not enforced during the exercise.

He further claimed that some individuals who reportedly conducted the primaries lacked proper identification and did not possess official election materials.

Some of his supporters, including Samson Sambakiu, Kolawole Ganiyu and Folake Ogunlade, accused officials of Lagos Mainland Local Government of allegedly facilitating irregularities at several polling centres.

They also alleged that supporters of one of the contenders disrupted the primary election in parts of the constituency.

No fewer than seven aspirants, including the incumbent lawmaker, are contesting for the APC ticket for the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.