Lagos LG polls: Aspirants to face direct primary as consensus option fails

Ahead of the July local government election in Lagos State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will conduct an open primary for aspirants in the 20 local government areas (LGs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs), Daily Trust can report.

It was, however, learnt that there are some local governments where consensus option had been agreed upon.

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Our correspondent gathered yesterday that the resort to the open primary followed the inability of aspirants to step down for one another amidst tension and disquiet among the LG chapters.

It would be recalled that 1050 aspirants comprising 250 chairmanship and 800 councillorship aspirants are vying for the 434 positions in the 57 LGs.

The party had been in a fix over a large number of aspirants while setting up a screening committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamza.

As of the time of filing this report, aspirants were anxiously awaiting the result of the screening.

A local government chairman who is contesting for a second term in a chat with our correspondent said an open primary would take place on Saturday, May 29, 2021, saying he is ready to face two other aspirants challenging him to the ticket.

Daily Trust reports that the party had already issued guidelines to the aspirants ahead of the open primary in a local government where consensus could not be agreed upon.

According to the guidelines sighted by Daily Trust, “Accredited members shall vote by open ballot at the designated venue by queuing up in front of the poster of their preferred candidate and the aspirant with the highest number of votes shall be announced as the winner accordingly.”

Following the widespread report about the endorsement of some candidates by the APC National Leader and strongman of Lagos politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former governor had come out to debunk the claim, saying he has no preferred candidate.

In a chat with Daily Trust, the Publicity Secretary of the state Caretaker Committee, Seye Oladejo said, “The guidelines are explicit that open direct primaries should be conducted. The party is irrevocably committed to internal democracy and provide a level playing ground for all aspirants.”