Admin I Thursday, May 21, 2026
LAGOS, Nigeria – THERE are indications of a looming implosion in the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following allegations of interference by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries held on Monday.
It was also alleged that the incumbent lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, who is also the Director-General of the Justice Forum caucus, played a key role in the process.
As of yesterday, The Guardian sighted no fewer than five petitions addressed to President Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, and other party leaders.
Among those who submitted petitions were the immediate past spokesperson of Lagos APC, Oluseye Oladejo, who contested for Mushin Federal Constituency; Akeem Animashaun, who contested for Mainland Federal Constituency; Kolawole Taiwo, who contested for Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency; Ayodele Adewale, who ran for Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency; Dr. Adesola Samuel Adedayo, who contested for Apapa Federal Constituency; and Prince Abdul Animashaun.
Beyond allegations that Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy allegedly shifted the goalpost to favour preferred aspirants, it was also claimed that Hamzat personally collaborated with some elements within the Justice Forum to undermine aspirants believed to have ties with the Mandate Group.
In some constituencies, returning officers were alleged to have deliberately abandoned polling units after discovering that aspirants not aligned with Hamzat or the Justice Forum were gaining the upper hand.
A notable example was the situation in Mushin Federal Constituency, where the returning officer allegedly left the polling unit for hours, only to later return and announce results said not to reflect the actual voting pattern.
In a petition dated May 2026, Adewale challenged the validity and finality of the primary election results in Wards A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J, arguing that material and substantial irregularities were allowed to occur unchecked by electoral officials, thereby rendering the results inconclusive and the overall outcome unreliable.
He said: “The primary election held in Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency was marked by material breaches of the Electoral Act 2026, the APC Constitution, and basic principles of electoral credibility. Forged voters were admitted, agents were denied accreditation, violence was permitted, and thousands of registered members were unlawfully disenfranchised.”
He further alleged that the returning officer abandoned the polling unit at a crucial stage of the exercise.
Ayodele, in his petition, urged the APC leadership to conduct a full and independent investigation into the accreditation and voting processes across the 11 wards in Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency.
He also demanded a review of all materials, processes and procedures used during the primary, the nullification of the results announced for the constituency, and assurances of strict compliance with APC constitutional provisions in future exercises.
In Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Taiwo alleged that after votes were counted, the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Kalejaiye Paul, scored 112 votes, while he polled 3,821 votes.
In another petition, Ganiyu Adele Ayuba of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency called on the party leadership to nullify what he described as the wrongful declaration of Hon. Olabisi Adebajo was the winner of the primary election, insisting that he won the contest with 37,021 votes.
According to Oladejo’s petition, “The Returning Officer disappeared from the collation centre at the Mushin Local Government Secretariat of the party after receiving a phone call. Before then, results from three wards had already been submitted by their respective electoral officers, with Seye Oladejo leading comfortably.
“He later reappeared at the state secretariat of the party late in the evening and allegedly submitted falsified and concocted figures to favour Fayinka, the incumbent.”
Supporters of the aggrieved aspirants warned that the party should brace for consequences during the general election if the alleged irregularities were not addressed.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Gbenga Akosile, dismissed the allegations against the governor and deputy governor, insisting that all factions and groupings within the party had already been harmonised.
He said everybody was given a fair and level playing ground. Meanwhile, efforts to reach Faleke and the state chairman of the party were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
