Lagos APC Democrats allege illegality, demand cancellation of state congress

By Chinelo Obogo

Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC) Democrats, a political group, has demanded that the state congress of the party held recently should be cancelled, alleging that it is unconstitutional.

In a press briefing held in Lagos on Thursday, the leader of Lagos APC collectives, Fouad Oki said on October 6, 2021, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, delivered a ruling on the legality of APC to hold its congresses in Lagos based on the unconstitutional ‘balkanisation’ of 57 Local Governments (LG) and Local Council Development Areas as opposed to 20 LGs and 245 wards.

He said the congress held in Lagos is unconstitutional because delegates were drawn for the 57 LGs and LCDA’s contrary to the court ruling and demanded that the congress be cancelled and a new one conducted.

He said: “The court only recognises, in view of Section 3(2),(6) and part 1 of the First Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 156 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and Article 33(i) of the APC constitution, 2014 (as amended) and the APC guidelines for state congresses on delegates that emanated from 245 wards either elected or statuary.

“Therefore, all statuary delegates, current councilors, vice chairmen and chairmen that are products of the balkanized local government and LCDAs in Lagos State, are not only unqualified but ineligible to participate in any congress of the party in Lagos State, as their participation has created an odious environment around the purported exercise.

“It is trite to say that in the eye of the law, based on this judgment which has not been appealed, Lagos currently has no Local Government Areas, known to the Nigerian Constitution. Arising from this, all the delegates from the 245 wards and the delegates from the balkanised 20 LGAs, who participated in the supposed state congress that allegedly produced the purported state executive committee members of our party in Lagos State, should not have been in the exercise. Their participation has rendered the entire exercise null and void and of no consequence.

“Making our case before the appeal panel, we have asked for the cancellation of the exercise and demanded a re-run to be strictly monitored by the national headquarters with quality umpires who are stable and will uphold respect for the rule of law.”

Daily Sun reached out to the state publicity secretary of the APC, Seye Oladejo, who refuted Oki’s claims, insisting that the party conducted its primaries based on 20 LGs and not 57 LGs and LCDA’s as alleged.