Less Than 24 Hours to Lagos APC LG Primaries: Chairmanship Aspirants in Last-Minute Talks as Party Set to Refund Nomination Form Fees

…Arrangements in Top Gear for Hitch-Free Exercise

…Government Announces Closure of Acme Road

By Taiwo Olapade

With less than 24 hours to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Local Government primary election in Lagos State, several chairmanship aspirants across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) have entered into last-minute discussions for the possible endorsement of consensus candidates, as canvassed by the party leadership.

The party’s decision to refund the nomination form fees—N5.5 million for chairmanship aspirants and N1.2 million for councillorship aspirants—is already yielding results, as some candidates have begun visiting the party secretariat to comply with the necessary guidelines.

The window for voluntary withdrawal from the race to qualify for a refund will close by 6 p.m. today. A top party official told Thenewsnow.org that the refund initiative aims to placate aspirants who have already incurred significant campaign expenses on posters, banners, souvenirs, and daily meetings with supporters. Some aspirants have also been lobbying key political stakeholders in a bid to secure the party ticket.

It will be recalled that at a recent crucial stakeholders’ meeting held at the APC Secretariat in Acme, Ogba, the party leadership strongly advocated for the adoption of consensus candidates ahead of the primary election scheduled for Saturday, May 10.

Preparations are in top gear to ensure a smooth and hitch-free primary exercise. At the party’s Acme Secretariat, chairs have already been arranged for delegates to vote in alphabetical order of the local government areas.

Party leaders believe that the consensus option, which is within the party’s guidelines for selecting candidates, will help reduce tensions and minimize the risk of violence before, during, and after the primaries.

The decision to hold the chairmanship primaries at the Acme Secretariat is also part of the party’s broader strategy to manage post-election fallout.

The Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Prince Tajudeen Olusi, who led the push for consensus at the stakeholders’ meeting, urged aspirants to reach a mutual agreement among themselves to produce consensus candidates for the upcoming July 12 council elections.

Prince Olusi noted that the consensus approach is meant to avert possible crises that could arise from an indirect primary election.

Also speaking at the meeting, Lagos APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, emphasized that Lagos is currently under intense public scrutiny. He warned that the party must avoid any actions that could tarnish its image and urged aspirants and their supporters to conduct themselves in a manner that would make President Bola Ahmed Tinubu proud after the primaries.

Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow’s primaries, the Lagos State Government has announced the closure of Acme Road in Ogba to human and vehicular movement for the duration of the exercise.

Over 400 aspirants are contesting for the 57 chairmanship tickets across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 LCDAs. Among the LGAs with the highest number of aspirants are Amuwo-Odofin, Ikeja, Ojo, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ikoyi-Obalende, and Bariga.