By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
In a united call for peace and democratic maturity, the Civil Society Initiative and prominent community leaders have rallied behind the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government primaries in Somolu, describing the process as free, fair, and transparent.
Speaking to journalists at the Somolu Local Government Secretariat, Comrade Buna Isiaka, Convener of the Civil Society Initiative, stated that the primaries were conducted in line with democratic principles and the APC constitution. He stressed that, while every electoral process has winners and losers, democratic values, maturity, and sportsmanship must prevail.
“We strongly condemn any attempt to incite violence or unrest in reaction to the election outcome,” Isiaka declared. “Those dissatisfied should pursue redress through party mechanisms and the courts, not through threats or incitement.”
He further revealed that civil society and human rights observers who monitored the primaries found no signs of religious or ethnic bias, debunking a widely circulated letter by an Imam expressing personal grievances. Isiaka emphasized that the letter does not represent the broader views of the Muslim community in Somolu and cautioned against attempts to stoke religious tension.
“Politics must never trump our shared values of peace, coexistence, and mutual respect,” he added.
The Civil Society Initiative also lauded the leadership of Somolu Local Government for its mature and impartial management of the electoral process, urging all stakeholders to reject inflammatory rhetoric and unite in promoting peace.
To reinforce these efforts, the group announced plans for a joint peace and democracy rally, inviting civic-minded citizens to participate in fostering unity and democratic resilience.
The statement was co-signed by Babatunde Fasasi of Youth Care Network, Salami Gbenga from the Center for Restoration of Values, and Comrade Olaide Babalola, Secretary of the Civil Society Initiative.
Echoing this call for calm, respected community leader Mr. Saka Ibrahim Adeoye appealed to aggrieved party members to prioritize peace and unity over protests and internal division.
“Everyone in this party, whether victorious or not, is still APC,” Adeoye said. “We will reach out to those who feel left out and encourage them to embrace peace. Violence is not the way forward—we remain one family.”
While acknowledging the constitutional right to peaceful protest, Mr. Adeoye firmly warned against any form of violence, encouraging affected parties to present evidence of irregularities to the official panel set up by the APC for review.
“If you believe you won, take your evidence to the party panel. The APC has provided a channel for that. Violence solves nothing,” he concluded.
These appeals come amid growing tension and public criticism of the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Justice Bola Okikiolu-Gile. The United Action for Democracy (UAD) has accused her of presiding over what it described as a “fraudulent and manipulated” primary process.
Despite the controversy, voices from civil society and the community are united in a common goal: preserving peace, upholding democracy, and ensuring that political ambition does not tear the fabric of unity in Somolu apart.