Lagos APC denies predetermined candidates’ list

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has described as false insinuations that the party already has a predetermined list of candidates ahead of the party primaries for the House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly.

According to a statement on Thursday, the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, said the party remained firm on adopting direct primaries in the event that consensus could not be reached on any candidature after broad consultation.

The statement was in response to a group identified as “Concerned Members of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress,” which alleged a plot by some party leaders to impose preferred candidates for the House of Representatives and state House of Assembly primaries.

The group, led by one Tunde Samson, named Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, House of Representatives member James Faleke, Lagos APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, and party chieftain Mutiu Aare as those allegedly compiling a predetermined list of candidates ahead of the party’s primaries.

According to the group, the alleged action stood in direct violation of the party’s commitment to direct primaries and undermined the rights of party members to freely choose candidates.

Reacting to the allegation, the Lagos APC chairman described the claims as baseless, mischievous and designed solely to create a false impression of crisis.

“We state without equivocation that there is no plot, no clandestine meetings, and no predetermined list of candidates as falsely alleged.

“It is deeply unfortunate that certain elements, unable to advance their ambitions through legitimate party channels, have now resorted to the tired tactics of propaganda, blackmail and anonymous media sensationalism.

“Such antics will neither intimidate the leadership of the party nor derail our established democratic processes,” Ojelabi said.

He said the claims being pushed by a faceless and self-styled group of concerned and vigilant members were “a desperate fabrication, a reckless exercise in mischief, and a calculated attempt to inflame passions within our great party.”

He stressed, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Electoral Act, as amended, is crystal clear on the lawful process for the emergence of candidates for the coming elections.

“The Lagos APC remains fully guided by the provisions of the law, the constitution of our party, and the duly issued guidelines of the national leadership.

“We have made our position abundantly clear: where consensus cannot be reached through broad consultation and mutual agreement, there shall be direct primaries. This position is settled, lawful and non-negotiable. Absolutely nothing will change that.”

Ojelabi said the Lagos APC was committed to due process and internal democracy and would not yield to “sponsored misinformation, subtle blackmail, media propaganda or clandestine scheming.”

He stressed, “The Lagos APC remains a disciplined and institution-driven political family founded on consultation, inclusiveness and respect for democratic norms.

“The voice of duly registered party members remains supreme, and that voice shall find full expression through duly sanctioned democratic mechanisms.

“We therefore urge our members and the general public to disregard the antics of faceless groups and political opportunists whose stock-in-trade is a false alarm and manufactured controversy.”

He added, “These actors, through orchestrated falsehoods and deliberate attempts to manufacture tension, seek to create an atmosphere of distrust and apprehension where none should exist. Their actions are clearly designed to undermine public confidence in the party’s transparent processes and to provoke avoidable political anxiety.

“Let it be clearly understood that internal democracy will prevail, due process will be upheld, and the collective will of our members shall remain the ultimate determinant of candidate emergence.”