Deepening fissures within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State erupted into a public display today, as aggrieved party members staged a protest at the gate of the Lagos House of Assembly. Their primary demand was a more equitable distribution of political appointments at the local government level, alongside vehement calls for the immediate resignation of the state party chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi.
The protesters, identifying themselves as Concerned and Loyal APC Members, vociferously accused the party leadership of nepotism, alleging a disproportionate dominance of appointments by the Justice Forum (JF) faction. This perceived imbalance, they claim, is fueling widespread dissatisfaction among the rank and file.
Central to their grievances is the alleged rudderless leadership of Pastor Ojelabi since he assumed office in 2021. The protesting faction holds him responsible for significant electoral setbacks and a perceived decline in the party’s fortunes, particularly citing the alleged mismanagement of the 2025 Local Government elections.
According to the group, Ojelabi assembled a notoriously biased team that conducted the worst primary election in the history of our progressive party in Lagos State across all 57 local government and local council development areas. They drew a stark contrast with previous party chairmen like Abiodun Ogunleye, Otunba Henry Ajomale, and Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, whom they lauded for running inclusive and successful progressive parties that prioritised members’ interests and enhanced electoral outcomes.
In a damning indictment, the Concerned and Loyal APC Members asserted that for the first time since the advent of the Fourth Republic, the Ojelabi-led party lost Lagos State to the opposition in 2023! They further lamented a shabby performance in the recently concluded local government elections.
Party faithful at the protest expressed strong concerns that the current allocation of crucial roles, such as supervisors and special advisers (S.A.), is heavily skewed in favour of the Justice Forum. These positions, they emphasised, are vital for effective local governance, and their monopolisation, critics argue, undermines democratic principles and disregards the collective efforts of all party members.
A disgruntled party member from Alimosho, Sulaiman Agbaje, lamented the imbalance, stating that despite broad support for the ruling party, key appointments are not being shared fairly.
“The people’s votes, which put leaders in power, are not being respected; appointments are monopolised by a single faction,” Agbaje asserted.
A member from Ikotun-Isheri, Bayode Taofeeq, warned that such bias and unequal power distribution could severely hamper the APC’s prospects in future elections, specifically the crucial 2027 polls. Taofeeq cited similar issues that he believes contributed to past electoral losses in Lagos, emphasising the urgent need for redress.
“We demand a 50/50 split or an equitable ratio of appointments between the Mandate and Justice Forum groups. This would ensure fairness and reflect the contributions of all party members,” he stated, appealing to the party leadership to intervene.
The Concerned and Loyal APC Members also voiced alarm over what they perceive as plans by Ojelabi, Faleke, and their team to further polarise the party with one-sided composition of the local government executives. This move, they contend, is designed to entrench a winner-takes-all agenda and strategically position individuals for the 2027 electoral contests.
“The members of the party are not happy. We are tired of his selfish leadership and the plot of his team to derail from the progressive ideals championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement from this faction read.
Despite their strong grievances, the protesting group reiterated its loyalty to the party and continued strong support for the success of President Tinubu’s RENEWED HOPE Agenda and Governor Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ Agenda.
The appeal, written to the state governor and copied to the speaker, was read by the spokesperson of the protest, Segun Faleye, and culminated in a direct demand: “Our prayer to the illustrious leaders of our party is to ask Pastor Ojelabi to leave the party NOW to avoid another imminent disaster in our party administration.” They also urged that those with constitutional responsibilities be allowed to diligently discharge their duties without external influences from certain actors with selfish interests.
The statement added with a resolute “Enough is Enough! Ojelabi and co. should take an honourable exit and allow our party to breathe in Lagos State.”
