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By Chinelo Obogo
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned its newly inaugurated party officers to shun factional groups and caucuses, insisting that loyalty to the party must supersede all other political allegiances as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
This warning was issued by the state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, at the inauguration ceremony held at the APC secretariat in Lagos on Friday, where he charged the new officers to see themselves as symbols of the party rather than as representatives of any internal group or political bloc.
“Today, irrespective of the groups that you belong to, you just have to set aside that particular group and realise that you are no longer a member of any group, rather, you are a symbol of our party. Don’t let anybody threaten you that it is either you belong here to survive or you belong there. Let them see you as a free person, as a man or woman representing the party. Don’t let them find you attending any caucus meeting other than APC meetings,” he said.
Ojelabi said that the timing of the inauguration places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the new officers, who he said were coming in at a critical moment in the party’s electoral preparations. He said all eyes within and outside the party are watching to see whether the Lagos APC could consolidate its dominance and improve on its 2023 performance. He said the target for the new officers is deliver votes for the party on January 16, 2027 and stressed that this could only be achieved through unity and cohesion.
He paid tribute to President Bola Tinubu whom he credited with increasing the number of local governments in the state from 20 to 57 and the number of councilors from 245 to 376. He then directed the newly elected officials to immediately familiarise themselves with the leadership structures of their respective local governments, meet their council chairmen, and map out areas where there are issues within their constituencies.
“Work starts immediately. As you leave here, get yourselves acquainted with the leadership of your local government. Know the terrain of your local government. Identify the problem areas so that you will be able to highlight them when it comes to state executive council meetings,” he said.
He also revealed that a series of training programmes are being planned for ward chairmen, ward committee members, secretaries, and women leaders at both the local government and ward levels, to be conducted for four days. He then said that the party officials would be held responsible for the performance of ward chairmen under their watch. “This time around is not business as usual. If you see any ward chairman who is not doing what we have asked him or her to do, it is your responsibility as a state officer to flag it,” he warned.
He also announced that each officer would be provided with a copy of the APC constitution by the state legal adviser, and urged them to study it thoroughly so they could speak with authority on party matters. The chairman assured the new officers of the party’s support and noted that Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was closely monitoring their activities and would provide an enabling environment for them to function effectively.
