Crisis brews ahead of July 24 LG elections as Ogun APC leaders reject consensus candidate

A crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State ahead of the forthcoming July 24 Local Government Elections, as some leaders of the party in Arigbajo ward, Ewekoro Local Government Area (LGA) of the state have rejected what they called the “imposition of candidate” on the ward.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that some aggrieved members of the party had on May 16 staged a protest against the party’s adoption of consensus candidature in some LGAs, after the leadership of the party in the state announced that the party would adopt consensus candidates in some LGAs.

The party leadership had said it would make use of either the direct or indirect primaries for LGAs that could not arrive at an agreement for consensus candidates.

However, the aggrieved leaders of the party’s Arigbajo ward appealed to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and other chieftains of the party to wade into the matter.

The leaders made the complaint in a petition on Friday directed to the state party chairman, Yemi Sanusi and other leaders of the party in the state by their solicitor, Lekan Ojo and Associates.

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The petition was titled “Complaint against acts of imposition of councillorship candidate and conduct likely to cause crisis in APC Arigbajo Ward.”

Reacting to the complaint, the Publicity Secretary of the state APC caretaker committee, Tunde Oladunjoye said the party had begun moves to resolve all the matters.

Oladunjoye assured that every member would be involved in the administration of the government at the local level.

He said, “I want to let you know that only one person can occupy an elective office at a time. There will be complaints. That’s part of party politics.

“I can assure you the party is addressing all concerns. There is a strict directive from the Governor for inclusiveness at the Local Government and ward levels as being demonstrated by His Excellency at the State level.

“Over time, we should most hopefully put the complaints behind us before the local government elections, in which we are so sure of victory because of the achievements of the governor within a record two years, the completed and ongoing projects equitably located in all senatorial districts of the state, are veritable tools for our electioneering and success at the polls.”

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