Lagos APC Primaries: The Day Internal Democracy was Murdered in Epe

By Babatunde Kaka

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, 29th May 2021, held its primaries ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Elections across all 20 Local Governments and 57 LCDAs in the State.

The primaries, in accustomed fashion, was geared towards producing the Party’s flag-bearers for the forthcoming polls. It is worthy to note that until the Primary election, the Epe Division had been immune from the violence that has been the hallmark of other Divisions in the State and particularly in Nigeria. She had had her share of the political class taking advantage of the dichotomy for political power and relevance but not political violence in the magnitude experienced in the just concluded primaries. However, it is a credible feat to note that no life was lost in the build-up, during and after the exercise.

Before 10 am, the optimistic and enthusiastic electorates were already on the ground at their various wards waiting patiently to exercise their franchise. Unfortunately, the first sign of disruption in Epe was the early downpour, a natural phenomenon, that lasted approximately 30 minutes which forced a little fraction of the massive Ward A6 party members at Luyepo Primary School, to run for cover.

The same was also in Ward A5 at Epe Girls’ High School. At Ward A1, LA Primary School, Ward A4, Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Ward A3 at St Michael Primary School and Ward A2 at Erepoto Community. The story was the same as the election had not started around noon for logistic reasons in some areas while it barely started but marred with brawls, disagreement, chaos and confrontations.

Earlier at Ward A1, Eko Hot Blog caught up with Hon Adedoyin Adesanya who was on the ground to encourage his staunch supporters. It was reported that the free moving incumbent Chairman was almost hurled down by a group of supporters who were bent on having some “change” from him.
In an interview which he hurriedly granted because of the irate youths, he stated that he was expectant of a seamless voting exercise conducted peacefully.

In Eredo LCDA, a local area carved out of Epe, even when it was on record that party leaders in the zone unanimously supported a return of the incumbent Chairman, Hon Adeniyi Saliu, the rivalry was fierce as opposing camps were battle-ready with their strategies and supporters.

Unfortunately, the situation was the same as in Epe. The helpless, disappointed and distraught electorates besieged the voting centres not minding the scorching afternoon sun. Even when it was realised that a sizeable number of them had gone elsewhere for shelter, these democrats were resolute in following the process till the very end.

Ward H1 where the incumbent Chairman, Hon Adeniyi Saliu, has a massive support base was more or less a battleground. Soldiers, The DPO of Noforija Divisional Police Station were sighted assisting in controlling the crowd of voters as the voting began. Hon Oluwaseun Dahunsi Ogunkelu was also sighted making frantic efforts to ensure a seamless exercise but a few minutes later, there was a security breach as the crowd descended to a free for all fight between the Ward Chairman and others. In a flash, 90% of voters at the venue, LG Primary School, Igbooye, had run for cover. Efforts by security agents to persuade them to return, however, proved abortive.

The bone of contention was that agents disagreed on conducting the exercise due to inadequate voting slips. Could this mean the party was up to something sinister by providing fewer voting slips?

At Ward J1, Ekohotblog gathered that the election was yet to hold as stranded party faithful were seen hanging around the Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Ibonwon. The story was no different at Ward L1, RCM Primary School, Mojoda. The crowd there were seen queuing up behind their favourite aspirant but a closer check revealed that no voting was ongoing around 2:30 Pm.

The election process took another dimension at LG Primary School, Noforija where Ward K1 voters were also stranded in the scorching sun. It was then that Ekohotblog discovered a gathering of party leaders, aspirants and State Officials holding a meeting inside the Noforija Town Hall.

Efforts to speak with any of the leaders some of which include Princess Adebowale, SA Civic Engagement, Hon Wasiu Odeyemi, all Chairmanship aspirants and other stakeholders, proved abortive.

However, Ekohotblog gathered that the meeting was held to sign a resolution that elections didn’t hold across the LCDA. All aspirants were said to have signed the document except the incumbent Chairman, Hon Adeniyi Saliu, who was reported to have stormed out of the meeting.

Back in Epe, the Council Secretariat was heavily guarded by armed to the teeth security officials as efforts to speak with the Chairman proved abortive. A check on various voting centres saw either a deserted or sparsely occupied voting ground. A handful of the party voters and leaders declined to speak to our reporter for fear of a possible sanction.

In Ibeju Lekki, not even the smartest of the political class was spared in assuring a just and fair election process which in the end, didn’t see the light of the day. The eagled eyed party members uncovered the ploy of a cheat, a pastor at that, to sway the election result to his favour.

Eko Hot Blog gathered that the serving Vice Chairman and Chairmanship aspirant, Hon Saheed Bakre Taiwo, was caught in the bush by security agents after a tipoff from residents, for being in possession of hundreds of membership cards after snatching ballot boxes. This was after he and his accomplices attacked some unsuspecting party officials. The case according to reports has been transferred to Lagos for further investigation.

READ ALSO: Prominent Eredo Leader, Ogundeko, Backs Incumbent Chairman

There were also conflicting reports from sources in Ibeju-Lekki who claimed their candidates won after the election was conducted successfully. It is however certain that a young Counselorship aspirant, Adelaja Oluwakemi, won the primary election at Ward A, in Lekki LCDA.

It was however gathered from reliable several sources who preferred anonymity that the elections across the Division were marred with violence. Suspected thugs loyal to some aspirants fuelled the end of the exercise in some areas as they shot sporadically into the air.

These sources confirmed that the election didn’t hold both in Epe, Eredo and some wards in Ibeju-Lekki due to some issues like omission of an aspirant’s name, provision of 500 rather than a minimum of 1000 voting slips which couldn’t cater for the thousands of party members and also provision of an outdated party membership register which didn’t capture the names of new members.

While most disappointed voters complained bitterly to Eko Hot Blog about being hoodwinked by the party hierarchy using the primary election as a coy and describing the exercise as a charade, they thought that the winners had emerged already as they must have been handpicked by the party leaders. It is also believed by many that winners of the primaries will be announced on Monday but what becomes of areas where elections didn’t hold is sketchy.