Scores of All Progressives Congress (APC) members protested at the party’s Lagos State Secretariat in Ikeja on Tuesday, demanding that primary election results in many constituencies be cancelled due to alleged irregularities.
The demonstrators, who came from various constituencies such as Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I, and Somolu Constituency II, urged the party leadership to look into complaints raised during the recently concluded House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly primaries.
The APC held its legislative primaries in May and later revealed the names of the winning candidates.
However, some contenders and party members have continued to question the results, claiming that the published results do not accurately reflect the decisions made by party members during the direct primary elections.
The demonstrators urged the party’s leadership and relevant appeal committees to evaluate the election process and solve what they claimed as major procedural violations.
One of the petitions was filed by Mr Ayodele Adewale, a House of Representatives candidate for the Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, who contested the primary election results.
Adewale claimed that the procedure in the constituency’s 11 wards was hampered by significant procedural irregularities, such as the lack of an official membership register during accreditation.
He also alleged that accreditation was carried out utilising APC slips that were neither adequately checked nor formally recognised.
The candidate sought the appeals committee to properly scrutinise the accreditation and voting processes and overturn the election results.
Similarly, Mr David Doherty, a House of Assembly contestant for Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, criticised the exercise’s transparency, claiming that hopefuls were excluded from important election-related choices.
He further stated that armed men interrupted voting in certain riverine communities by firing bullets, causing party members to escape polling stations.
Doherty urged that the constituency’s results be cancelled and that anyone found guilty of electoral malfeasance or violence face punishment.
Petitioners in the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency cited widespread anomalies, such as result manipulation, incorrect collation procedures, and violations of electoral norms.
According to them, several electoral officials failed to present at specified collation centers, and some results were reportedly manipulated.
They further claimed that votes in certain wards were exaggerated and that required accreditation procedures were not followed.
The petitioners asked for a forensic assessment of disputed result sheets and signatures, as well as verification of ward-level results.
Prince Hakeem Ola, speaking on behalf of demonstrators from Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, called Doherty’s alleged treatment unfair and unacceptable.
He believed that party members should be able to freely choose their representatives through a transparent and genuine democratic process.
Ola said that Doherty won the primary election, but that other party leaders were attempting to overturn the results.
Mr Oluwasola Olugbemi, a protester from Agege Local Government Area, warned against efforts to impose candidates on party members.
He stated that rejecting party members’ wishes undermines democratic norms and reduces trust in the electoral process.
Protesters from Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I and Somolu Constituency II have filed petitions alleging attempts to influence the results of their respective primaries.