Tensions rose in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on Tuesday as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took to the streets to protest what they described as an attempt to impose an unpopular candidate for the July 12 local government election.
The demonstration, which started at the APC secretariat, saw aggrieved supporters of various chairmanship aspirants marching to the council headquarters, waving placards and chanting slogans against what they called an outsider being forced on the community.
Protesters shouted, “No room for strangers in our LCDA!” and “We want an indigenous leader!” while some placards read, “We demand a free and fair process” and “Obasa is forcing a stranger on us.”
This is the second protest in weeks, following an earlier disruption of a stakeholders’ meeting on April 14 over the same grievances.
Speaking to the crowd, Mr. Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye, a prominent party leader, called on the APC leadership to allow a level playing field for all aspirants.
“Let everyone contest in a transparent primary. We are loyal APC members, but we will not accept an imposed candidate. Ojokoro belongs to those who have built it,” he said.
Mrs. Raimot Bello, another key figure in the protest, warned that forcing an unfamiliar candidate on the community could divide the party. “Our people want a leader they know, not someone brought from outside,” she stressed.
Other protesters, including Alhaji Karimu Yusuf and Prophet Kayode, accused party leaders of secretly backing an unpopular candidate, further fueling discontent.
In response, Ojokoro LCDA Chairman Mr. Hammed Tijani assured protesters that no final decision had been made and dismissed claims of imposition.
“We are one united party. There is no imposition—everyone will have a fair chance,” he said.
Backing his statement, the local APC chairman, Mr. Jelili Oseni, urged calm, saying, “Ojokoro will not descend into violence. The party will reward those who have worked for it.”
The protest occurred as key party leaders, including former Lagos State lawmaker Mr. Ipoola Omisore and ex-House of Representatives member Mr. James Owolabi, held a closed-door meeting at the council secretariat.
As the July election approaches, the growing unrest within the APC in Ojokoro raises questions about whether party leaders will heed the protesters’ demands or risk further division.
