A senior member of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Lagos, Fouad Oki, has issued a stark warning following last Lagos State’s local government elections, declaring the record-low voter turnout a crisis that could sink the party’s chances in 2027.
He claimed that internal party data shows just 6% of Lagos’ 6.8 million registered voters participated in the July 12 polls, down from 11% in 2021. “These numbers aren’t just bad – they’re catastrophic,” Oki said in a blunt report to APC leaders. “We won every chairmanship seat and all but one council seat, but this was a hollow victory. The people didn’t reject us – they simply didn’t care enough to vote.”
The report, according to him paints a damning picture of collapsing party structures and alienated voter blocs. Oki revealed the once-reliable Arewa community, concentrated in areas like Agege and Mushin, has drifted away since former President Buhari’s death. “We’ve taken their support for granted and now we’re paying the price,” he said. The Igbo community remains deeply sceptical despite outreach efforts. “There’s a cultural disconnect,” Oki admitted. “We’re speaking the wrong language to people who should be our natural allies.”
The APC Chieftain also pointed out that young voters and low-income residents stayed home in droves, blaming the party’s crumbling grassroots organization. “Our ward structures are broken,” he said. “Young members get excluded, loyal workers get ignored, and everyone thinks the system is rigged. Why should they vote for us?” The report warns that without immediate reform, Lagos could fall to opposition parties in 2027. “Right now we’re vulnerable to any charismatic challenger who can mobilize these disaffected groups,” Oki cautioned.
He dismissed plans for new voter registration drives as misguided. “Chasing new voters when existing ones won’t turn out is like building on quicksand,” Oki argued. Instead, he demanded a complete overhaul of party operations, including youth inclusion, transparent primaries, and performance reviews for officials. “This isn’t about blame – it’s about survival,” he said.
“If we ignore this warning, we’ll wake up in 2027 to find Lagos has slipped through our fingers.” The report has sparked intense debate within APC circles, with many grassroots leaders reportedly backing Oki’s call for urgent reform.
