Some aggrieved members of the Lagos All Progressives Congress stormed the residence of the National leader of the party Bola Tinubu rejecting the outcome of the primary election that produced Lanre Oshun as the party’s House of Representatives candidate for the Lagos Mainland (West) federal constituency.
A statement signed by the Chairman and secretary of Lagos Mainland Elders Forum Baba Fashina and Akibu Bankole described the election held on Friday, 27th May 2022 as a complete fraud.
The Elders Forum said the exercise was marred by significant non-compliance with the APC’s constitution, the Electoral Act of 2022, and the party’s guidelines for the conduct of primaries.
According to the Elders Forum, the election outcome was rejected, following an appeal by one of the leading aspirants for the ticket, Prince Akeem Animashaun, with the Primary Election Appeal Committee of the APC.
Animashaun in his petition to the APC Appeal Committee, dated May 29, 2022, described the primary election as a fraud, claiming that it did not comply with the party’s constitution, rules and guidelines for conducting primaries, or the Electoral Act 2022.
He asserted that the delegates who voted in the primary were not elected by members of the party, and were selected by a few individuals to the exclusion of other party members, in total disregard for the constitution of APC and the Electoral Act 2022.
During the protest at Bola Tinubu’s mansion on Tuesday, Party members held posters disowning Hon. Lanre Oshun as the party’s candidate for the Lagos Mainland for the House of Representatives
The protesters alleged that there are strong indications that there is an ongoing plot to sweep under the carpet Animashaun’s petition, so as to sustain the alleged sham primary that produced Hon. Lanre Oshun.
Speaking with Punch, one of the protesters said: “The koko (crux) of this matter is that the primary for the House of Representatives was not conducted in compliance with the provisions of the APC constitution and by extension the Electoral Act.”
One of the protesters also explained that Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency is divided into three parts, Ebute – Metta (West), Ebute –Metta (East) and Yaba, adding that it is only Ebute-Metta (West) that has not produced a House of Representatives, member.
“Since 1999 till date, the House of Representatives position has been rotated between Yaba and Ebute–Metta (East). The incumbent member, Hon. Jide Jimoh, a two-term member, is from Yaba. Hon. Lanre
Oshun, a four-term (16 years) member of the Lagos State House of Assembly is also from Yaba. Meanwhile, Ebute – Metta (West) has never been allowed to produce a candidate to represent Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency”
