LG primaries update: Amid shocks, Lagos APC distributes LASIEC nomination forms to winners 

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has commenced distribution of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC nomination forms to its preferred candidates as winners in the primary elections held on Saturday, May 29, 2021.

Primary polls were held across the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs of the state to decide the Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates of the party in the forthcoming council elections in the state, slated for July 24.

The distribution of the forms, however, is contrary to earlier claim by APC of still collating results of candidates that emerged winners from the primary elections after leaked results appeared and widely circulated on social media on Monday.

This development came amid series of petitions from aggrieved aspirants and supporters over reports of violence and electoral malpractices in some councils while party registers were not available in other councils, among other discrepancies against particular aspirants.

Results were also said to have been cancelled by APC, where violence were recorded.

Vanguard gathered that the special electoral committee, headed by Wale Edun, set up to conduct the poll and the leadership of the party have secretly contacted their ” anointed” candidates to come forward to receive their nomination forms as flagbearers in the general council polls on July 24.

Recall that on Monday, 31 May, 2021, a leaked list was released on the social media containing names of the party candidates for the council elections which the APC leadership debunked and described as “fake news.”

However, while reacting to results making the rounds, Lagos APC spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, dismissed the result, describing as it “fake in it’s entirety,” saying, “There’s nothing like that yet on any local government.”

Oladejo said, “We have decided to ignore the fake results in circulation from distracting us. i can assure you that the results will be released in due course.”

It was gathered that the party leadership after deliberation with Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, at a meeting held recently, decided that all chairmen who are first timers should to be returned.

Hence, all first timers except Ahmed Apatira of Itire Ikate had been presented with their LASIEC nomination forms.

Among those anointed candidates who have also collected the forms include: Bayo Olasoju, King Wasiu Ayinde, popularly called KWAM1 K1 De Ultimate,Fuji maestro, Band Manager.

A pictorial evidence emerged to this as Oladejo was seen collecting the form from APC leader. This came despite has collected his LASIEC form as video and pictorial evidence that primary election was only conducted in one ward in Isolo LCDA.

Also, in a pictorial evidence, Dipo Olorunrinu, chairmanship candidate in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, was seen collecting his nomination form party official, thereby defeating the incumbent chairman, Engr. Valentine Buraimoh, after a keenly contested poll.

Buraimoh’s failure was sequel to alleged maladministration and inefficiency from wide range of stakeholders of the council.

Also, in a twist of event, In the list circulated on social media on Monday, the name of Lanre Carew which appeared as winner of the primary election in Kosofe Local Government had been replaced with Moyosore Ogunlewe, son of former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, who received the LASIEC nomination form.

One of the party faithful who preferred anonymity, described the act as one of the “Abracadabras of APC Lagos politics.”

Meanwhile, effort to get comments from APC Chairman, Tunde Balogun, Electoral Committee Chairman, Edun and spokesman, Oladejo was unsuccessful at press time as call attempts to their phone rang out.

Earlier, a former factional chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Fouad Oki, in his reaction to the conduct of the primaries said his predictions came to pass, because the leaders of the party paraded questionable democratic credentials.

He had earlier warned in a letter copied the letter to major stakeholders of the party in the state of consequences if internal democracy would not be allowed to govern the process.

Oki also called for the cancellation of the exercise and that it be repeated, with a level-playing ground yielded to party members.

“Let party members choose their representatives,” he said. Oki attributed the widespread crisis to a provision in the election regulation which mandates the declaration of winners of chairmanship election at the state headquarters, after tying up result at local government collation centres. (Vanguard)