Lagos APC Aspirants Reject Attempt to Link Speaker Obasa to Protest

A coalition of aspirants in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, has condemned what they described as “wicked and distracting attempt” to link the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Mudashiru Obasa, to the peaceful protests held last week over the party’s primaries.

The group, in a strongly worded statement signed by prominent party figures and released to the press on Wednesday, insisted that the demonstration was a spontaneous expression of dissatisfaction by aspirants and their supporters across Lagos State.
The statement was signed by among others; Hon. Seye Oladejo (Mushin), Hon. Kolawole Taiwo (Ajeromi-Ifelodun), Hon. Noheem Adams (Eti-Osa), Hon. Stephen Ogundipe (Oshodi), Hon. Apata Samuel (Somolu), Hon. David Doherty (Amuwo-Odofin), Hon. Ganiyu Egunjobi (Agege), Hon. Ganiyu Ayuba (Alimosho).
However, the aspirants said the protest was not sponsored but the result of genuine grievances.
“It is an insult to the intelligence and a disparagement of the legitimate concerns of thousands of committed APC members and supporters to insinuate that they were sponsored to voice their frustrations,” the statement said.
The protesters, the group said, raised issues of alleged manipulation, distortion of results, cheating and disregard for party guidelines in the primaries. They said the concerns are not isolated or imaginary, but are the frustrations of party faithful who invested time, resources and political capital in the democratic process.
The signatories slammed unnamed persons for trying to make Speaker Obasa a scapegoat to trivialize the allegations and to divert attention from the need for justice, reconciliation and unity in the APC.
“Instead of dealing with the issues that lie at the heart of the protest, some have taken the easy way out: scapegoating. Such futile efforts are clearly meant to divert public attention from the need for fairness and party cohesion,” they said.
They called on party leaders to focus on resolving the outstanding issues from the primaries as they look ahead to the 2027 general elections. APC, they said, is strong because it can contain contrary views, fix its internal weaknesses and emerge stronger through dialogue and fairness.
“The concerns of aggrieved aspirants and their supporters should be addressed, not diverted. “Addressing these grievances in a sincere and urgent manner will bolster confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes and allow us to approach the upcoming elections with a united and formidable front,” the statement said.