The Mandate Movement, one of the two major political blocs in the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, has warned the other bloc, Justice Forum, against unilaterally endorsing candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
- +Mandate Movement faults unilateral endorsements in Lagos APC
The Mandate Movement and the Justice Forum are the two dominant caucuses within the Lagos State All Progressives Congress, acting as power brokers influencing candidate selection and party structure.
The Mandate Movement and the Justice Forum are the two dominant caucuses within the Lagos State All Progressives Congress, acting as power brokers influencing candidate selection and party structure.
The Mandate Movement said the warning became expedient, alleging a pattern of the Justice Forum monopolising the selection of APC consensus candidates ahead of the elections.
Leader of The Mandate Movement and member of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Mr Muraina Taiwo, read the communique conveying the warning at the end of an emergency meeting of the bloc held in the Ilasamaja area of Lagos on Monday.
Those at the meeting included a lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo 1 in the House of Assembly, Stephen Ogundipe; former Commissioner for Information, Kehinde Bamigbetan; former Commissioner for Works, Ganiyu Johnson; former Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Monsuru Obe; Coordinator Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, Kayode Tinubu; and National President of National Union of Road Transport Workers, Musiliu Akinsanya.
The group said the warning came against the backdrop of the Justice Forum engaging with aspirants for the House of Representatives and the Lagos State House of Assembly for the 2027 elections last Friday.
The movement said it was worrisome that the Justice Forum held such engagement and other recent ones without inviting it.
The communique read, “The attention of The Mandate Movement has been drawn to a purported meeting of the Justice Forum caucus of Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, held at the Delta Continental Hotel, Isolo, on Friday, April 24, 2026, for the engagement of aspirants for the House of Representatives and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“The Mandate Movement, as a prominent caucus within the party, was neither informed nor invited to the programme.
“It is particularly concerning that this development follows an earlier purported constituency meeting where the sitting member representing the constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly was endorsed without any formal invitation extended to leaders of The Mandate Movement.
“This recurring pattern strongly suggests a deliberate attempt by the Justice Forum to marginalise TMM leaders in a bid to manipulate the selection of consensus candidates to its advantage.”
TMM’s stance comes as the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, recently warned some local government chairmen and other party officials against endorsing candidates ahead of next year’s elections.
The party chairman declared that “any attempt by any party official to project or anoint any aspirant as a consensus candidate is premature, misleading, and entirely without the authorisation of the party.”
TMM consequently urged the party leadership to intervene to prevent the marginalisation of other caucuses urgently.
“As a caucus firmly committed to transparency, inclusiveness, and the principle of popular mandate, The Mandate Movement unequivocally rejects this marginalisation of other caucuses.
“We call on the party leadership to remain vigilant and take decisive steps to curb the excesses of those undermining internal democracy,” the communique read.
Specifically, TMM called on the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, to immediately inaugurate a constituency consensus committee made up of equal representation from both caucuses.
“Accordingly, we demand the immediate inauguration of a Constituency Consensus Committee comprising equal representation from both caucuses to guarantee transparency, fairness, and credibility in the process,” it read.
The group said the inclusiveness of all groups in the Lagos APC was important to avert a repeat of the unsatisfactory performance of the party in the 2023 elections.
It maintained, “We are mindful of the less-than-satisfactory performance of our constituency in the 2023 general elections.
“As we look ahead, all efforts must be geared towards achieving a resounding victory for President Bola Tinubu and all APC candidates in future elections.
“To this end, unity, inclusiveness, and collective responsibility are non-negotiable. Any attempt to divide the party, exclude critical stakeholders, or impose candidates through undemocratic means amounts to internal sabotage.
“As committed party leaders, we will resist any attempt to manipulate the party structure to serve individual interests.
“We remain resolute in our pursuit of credible, widely accepted candidates who can secure decisive victories at the polls.”
The Taiwo-led caucus maintained that it was not averse to the adoption of consensus, but such should not be “monopolised” by a group keen on having an advantage over others.
“The Mandate Movement aligns fully with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2025, as well as the guidelines of the APC governing party primaries, which allow for the exploration of consensus. Where consensus fails, aspirants must proceed to direct primaries.
“While we encourage aspirants to step down for one another in the interest of unity and simplification of the electoral process, such a process must not be monopolised by any single group seeking undue advantage over others,” the group noted.
The APC chairman had, in an April 19 statement, threatened disciplinary measures against party officials who persisted in such endorsements, stating that the Lagos APC had not issued any guidelines, directives, or timetable for the forthcoming primaries.
Ojelabi said, “The attention of the Lagos State chairman of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to the disturbing and unauthorised actions of some local government chairmen who have taken to publicly raising the hands of certain aspirants to various elective offices and presenting them as so-called consensus candidates of the party.
“The party wishes to state unequivocally that such conduct is wrong, unacceptable, and a clear violation of the principles of internal democracy, fairness, and due process for which our great party is known.
“These actions are capable of generating avoidable tension, fuelling suspicion, and causing needless division within our ranks at a time when unity and discipline remain paramount.”
The party chairman assured that the party would provide all contestants for elective offices a level playing field “free from intimidation, coercion, or any form of undue influence.”
He added, “The All Progressives Congress in Lagos State will not compromise its hard-earned reputation as a political institution founded on the ideals of justice, equity, fairness, and transparent internal democratic processes.
