Follow Us on Google
A group loyal to former Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Hon. Gbolahan Bagostowe, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for Somolu Constituency I ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group, Bagostowe Media Crew, said it was concerned about what it described as attempts by some influential figures within the Lagos APC to sideline Bagostowe in the race for the party’s ticket, which it said was contrary to the preference of some party members in the constituency.
Three aspirants — Gbolahan Bagostowe, Abiodun Orekoya and Remi Ogara — participated in the APC primary election held on May 20, 2026.
According to the group, disputes arose during the exercise in four of the six wards where voting was scheduled to take place. It said concerns arising from the exercise were subsequently reviewed by a panel reportedly led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Audit, Hon. Yemi Ayoola.
Speaking with journalists at Ward D, Oke Meta Primary School, Bajulaiye, on the day of the primary, the group’s spokesperson, Rasak Raji, said voting could not hold in four of the six wards because of what he described as irregularities in the accreditation and voting process.
“We raised concerns when we observed what we believed were irregularities in the accreditation and voting process,” Raji said.
According to him, the concerns affected Wards D, E, H and I, with some supporters of Bagostowe subsequently declining to endorse the results from those wards. “We have six wards in Somolu Constituency I. The exercise was peacefully conducted in Wards A and B, and the results were duly endorsed by agents of the aspirants. However, concerns arose in the remaining wards over the participation of persons whose membership status could not be independently verified,” he said.
Raji also alleged that there were efforts to have results from the disputed wards accepted despite objections raised by some party members. “The information available to us suggests that there have been attempts to influence the outcome of the process,” he claimed.
The group said it expected party officials to handle the grievances impartially and ensure that the issues raised by members were properly reviewed. It argued that accepting the disputed results without addressing the complaints could, in its view, affect confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes.
The group also raised concerns about the alleged involvement of some party officials in the handling of the primary. It said information available to it suggested that the APC state leadership may have played a role in developments surrounding the disputed results. “Sources available to us indicate that certain party officials may have been involved in decisions relating to the management of the primary process,” the statement alleged.
The group appealed to President Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC to review the complaints and ensure that due process was followed. It referred to the 2025 Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis, during which Speaker Mudashiru Obasa was impeached and later reinstated following Tinubu’s intervention, as an example of a political dispute that was eventually resolved.
“We call on well-meaning party leaders to intervene in this issue and allow justice prevail like it did during the leadership crisis that rocked the State House of Assembly. This is about protecting the integrity of the process and ensuring that the wishes of genuine party members are respected,” the group said.
The group said it remained hopeful that the complaints would be objectively considered by the appropriate authorities, noting that the electoral process was still ongoing and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had yet to publish the final list of candidates. It urged APC members and voters in Somolu Constituency I to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, while expressing confidence that the outstanding issues would be resolved through the appropriate party and electoral channels before the relevant deadlines.
