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Leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Eti-Osa Constituency I, Lagos State, have called on the leadership of the party to restore the party’s ticket to Noheem Adams, whom they said emerged as the winner of the party’s primary election on May 20.
The party stakeholders made the demand at a world press conference in Lagos, where they insisted that the outcome of the primary, which they described as an overwhelming expression of the will of party members, should be respected.
According to them, Adams polled 7,638 votes at the primary, while his opponent scored 1,225 votes, describing the margin as a clear indication of his acceptance among the APC members in the constituency.
Speaking on behalf of the leaders and members, the apex leader of Eti-Osa, Jacob Jegede, said the demand was not motivated by hatred, personal ambition or opposition to any individual, but by their commitment to internal democracy, party unity and the electoral success of the APC.
He said: “The issue before us is, therefore, bigger than one individual. It is about the sanctity of the electoral process within our party. It is about respecting the people who participated in the primary. It is about fairness. It is about justice. And ultimately, it is about the electoral strength of the APC in Eti-Osa Constituency I.”
He described Adams as a grassroots politician with strong relationships across communities and wards in the constituency, adding that his support cuts across different age groups, religious affiliations and social backgrounds.
They appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and the Lagos State chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, to uphold fairness and listen to the concerns of party members in Eti-Osa.
They also urged the party leadership to consider the recommendations of the reconciliation committee, which recognised the importance of restoring the ticket to Adams in promoting party unity and enhancing its chances of victory in the forthcoming election.
The group maintained that genuine reconciliation must address what it described as the root cause of the disagreement rather than merely asking aggrieved members to accept an outcome they considered unjust.
“We want the APC to win. We are not here to weaken our party. We are here because we want to strengthen it. We are not here to create division. We are here because we believe that justice and fairness are the foundation upon which genuine unity can be built,” they said.
They warned that imposing a candidate without broad support among party members and the electorate could undermine the APC’s chances at the polls, stressing that grassroots acceptance and electability should be key considerations in selecting the party’s candidate.
The stakeholders consequently demanded that the APC leadership respect the May 20 primary election, restore the ticket to Adams, implement the recommendations of the reconciliation committee and engage authentic grassroots stakeholders in resolving the crisis.
They also appealed to the APC members in the constituency to remain calm and avoid violence, intimidation, insults and personal attacks, stressing that the disagreement should be resolved through legitimate party channels and dialogue.
The group reaffirmed its loyalty to the APC, saying its demand was not a rejection of the party but a call for it to uphold its democratic ideals.
“Let the mandate of the people prevail. Let justice prevail. Let internal democracy prevail. Let unity prevail. And ultimately, let the APC win,” the stakeholders said.
