Politics
GAC in turmoil as faction moves to sack Lagos APC chairman
Some members of the Governance Advisory Council of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress were on Monday divided over the call for the sacking of the party’s chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi.
The GAC is the highest decision-making organ of the APC in Lagos State.
The development followed a protest by some aggrieved party members who stormed the state House of Assembly to call for the sacking of Ojelabi and other party chieftains over what they described as “imposition of candidates” and “anti-grassroots leadership.”
The party chairman, however, faulted the call, describing the accusations as baseless.
The protesters from different local councils in the state held placards with inscriptions such as “Ojelabi Must Go,” “Faleke is a Betrayal,” and “Ojelabi, Mr Voter’s Apathy.”
They called for inclusion, fairness, and an end to what they described as top-down manipulation of local politics.
One of the protest leaders, Ogumba Adetunbosun from Ikorodu, said the protest was borne out of deep dissatisfaction with the way local government elections were conducted and how supervisory positions were being imposed without input from the grassroots.
“We’re concerned politicians from all 57 local councils. What brought us here is the injustice we witnessed in the just-concluded local government elections.
“Chairmen and vice-chairmen have emerged, but when it came to appointing supervisors and secretaries to local governments, we were sidelined. There was no consultation, no dialogue, and that’s not democracy,” Adetunbosun said.
Another protester, Mrs Bola Balogun from Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, accused top APC leaders of stifling local democracy.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu said we shouldn’t appoint supervisors for (two) months. Why? They want to impose on us.
“We voted for Mr Governor and President Tinubu, not for them to impose appointees on us. Ojelabi and Fanleke are choking the Lagos APC. They’re not listening to the grassroots, and they’re killing the spirit of democracy,” she said.
Speaking on Monday in an interview, a member of GAC, Chief Muraina Taiwo, backed the call for the chairman’s sacking, saying Ojelabi was only loyal to a faction of the party in the state, known as the ‘Justice Forum,’ sidelining the ‘Mandate’ and other factions.
Muraina said he was not initially aware of the protest, but noted that “what I know is that party stalwarts are not happy with the party chairman, most especially. The opinion is that they believe he is a Justice Forum member, and he is not trying to balance things. It is obvious in his dealings that he belongs to a faction.
“Imagine that in Oshodi, I was the one who brought the party there since the days of Lateef Jakande. The party chairman knows my ward. Because he knows my child was in the race, they went to write in my ward that they want a female, and my child had paid for the form. He was aspiring for the position of a councillor. He wanted me to go and lobby stakeholders in the Justice Forum, who are his leaders. I’m not totally for him as chairman, but I’m not a part of this protest. However, his dealings are what is only playing out.”
On the appointment of LG supervisors, the GAC member said it was normal for the governor and party leaders to approve their appointments. “That is how it’s supposed to be. It has been like that for a long time since Jakande’s days.”
Speaking further on alleged sidelining, he said, “Out of all the 57 local governments. Check, the whole council, all Justice Forum’s members, through the state chairman’s directive, took all the slots for councillors. If they don’t change before the 2027 elections, things will be worse.
“He does not have experience. It was with a fight that we took 20 slots for the chairman from them. So if they want us to win the 2027 elections, they should remove that chairman.”
Another GAC member who did not want to be quoted said he was not aware of the call for the chairman’s removal at the GAC level.
“Such a thing was not discussed at any GAC meeting that somebody should be removed. That is not to say that those people making those demands are frivolous; it’s not to say that.
“I’m only responding to your question about whether GAC knows about it. But then we cannot throw away whatever they have said as long as they are members of the APC.
“Firstly, you are just telling me about the protest. I’m hearing it for the first time. There was no meeting where it (chairman’s removal) was discussed. But we will look at the situation as presented. We will look at it and we will deal with it accordingly.
“You can’t hear from one side and conclude; it is the duty of GAC members to make sure that there is peace within the party,” the source said.
The chairman of GAC, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, could not be reached for comments on Monday, as an aide who picked up his call said the elder statesman was not available at the moment.
Chairman kicks
Ojelabi, however, described the claims by the aggrieved members as baseless and lacking substance.
In an interview with our correspondent on Monday, Ojelabi said he was not bothered by the protest, noting that things would no longer be “business as usual” in the party.
He faulted claims that his leadership was not beneficial to the aggrieved members.
“It’s not beneficial to them and we went to elections and won 375 councillors out of 376? We won 57 council chairmen, and it’s not beneficial to them?
“These are people who do not have substance as to what they are doing. It’s not going to be business as usual. We owe it a responsibility to the people of Lagos State to deliver the dividends of democracy.
“They expect that just as the council chairmen were sworn in yesterday (on Sunday), the issue of appointment of supervisors and other things should just follow immediately, and the governor made a pronouncement: ‘Allow these people to settle down. Let them understand the rudiments of governance. Give them the first 30 days to understand what they are inheriting. As you inherit assets, you equally inherit liability.’
“Is it at the state level that we’re going to appoint supervisors and SAs? No. We want the involvement of the leadership of each local government.”
He said the aggrieved members are people who did not have a grassroots base but believe that an imposition is ongoing.
“Did we impose councillors on them? They all emerged from their respective areas. Those who did not fit into the democratic process are the ones fighting back, but I’m not bothered. To the best of my knowledge, we have conducted the best local government election.”
On uniting the aggrieved party members, he said, “It’s a matter of time. By the time the leadership recommends who will be supervisors from their respective local governments, that is what we’re going to adopt. You can’t satisfy human beings.
“The leadership of each local government from the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs will recommend them based on the contribution of individuals. That is the mechanism. If you work assiduously for our success, let such people be rewarded. Not ‘because I know Ojelabi, he should appoint me as supervisor.’ No, I can’t be everywhere.
“Whatever they recommend is what we are going to approve. So they are just putting the cart before the horse. The process of appointing supervisors will not come up until the next 30 to 45 days. So that’s it, I’m not bothered. It’s an in-house issue and we will resolve it,” the chairman added.
In a Monday statement, the APC spokesperson in the state, Seye Oladejo, said the party acknowledged and respected the rights of party stakeholders and members to express grievances democratically. “Peaceful protests are a legitimate feature of civic engagement, and we commend those who have conducted themselves calmly and orderly,” he stated.
He, however, said that the selection of cabinet members for the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs would follow the laid-down rules and the internal party guidelines and the proposition by local leadership of the party after due consultations.
He said, “Please note that the party at the state level only plays an advisory role. The party hereby vehemently denies any allegation to impose nomination on any local government.
“We want to advise interested members to approach their local leadership, who are the custodians of the power to nominate.
“We remain committed to constructive dialogue to review concerns and disputes to ensure fair outcomes in line with party values.
“We appeal for constructive participation and plead with the protesters to channel their concerns through official party organs.”
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Obi called for urgent disruption of the current retrogressive system and the enthronement of leaders with competence, character, capacity, and compassion.
The 2023 presidential candidate under the platform of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has revealed the best way to rescue Nigerians from its current state of poverty and hunger.
According to him, Nigerians must stop voting along ethnic and religious lines if they want Nigerian to be rescued from its current poor state.
In a post on his official X handle on Wednesday, Obi stated that the cumulative effect of poor leadership remains the country’s greatest obstacle to development.
The former Anambra State Governor called for urgent disruption of the current retrogressive system and the enthronement of leaders with competence, character, capacity, and compassion.
“To all well-meaning Nigerians: this must stop. We must dismantle the system of criminality. We have voted based on tribe and religion for too long – it is time to vote for competence. Let us move from waste, looting, and reckless borrowing to production. Let us build a Nigeria that works,” he said.
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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State has said that the call by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDPD), for the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state, Dr Anugbum Onuaha, ahead of the by-elections in the state was an indication that the PDP is not prepared for the elections.
The Edo APC further stated that the call by the Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, citing the “credibility and impartiality” of the INEC officials, was more on the fear of the “fatal defeats that await the PDP in the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency bye-elections on August 16, 2025.”
The Edo APC, in a statement endorsed by its State Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, said that the PDP’s fear “is caused by the unprecedented achievements that His Excellency, Governor Monday Okpebholo, has recorded in just eight months.
“We will advise Aziegbemi and his half a dozen PDP members to brace up to accept the pain of the impending defeats that await.
“Governor Okpebholo’s achievements have led thousands of politicians out of the PDP, and, we have torn the umbrella into shreds and the reality is that, in this coming election and that of 2027, Edo people have made up their minds to vote massively for our party.
“As of today, no other political party exists in the state, except the APC. Governor Okpebholo’s achievements since his assumption have attracted many PDP members with good conscience to join us in our drive to give the state all-around development.
‘The APC administration at both federal and state levels has initiated lifesaving projects, and is still doing more to improve the standards of living. The long-abandoned roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructures are receiving attention. There is also a marked improvement in security in our dear Edo State as a result of Governor Okpebholo’s re-engineering of the security architecture.
“On August 16, 2025, the APC is determined to prove to our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the 2.5 million votes Edo State people promised him is possible,” the APC stated.
The Edo PDP, it would be recalled, had on Tuesday called for the urgent redeployment of Onuaha and other electoral officers previously assigned to key local government areas, citing concerns over their credibility and impartiality.
Speaking at a press conference held at the state party secretariat, in Benin City on Tuesday, Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said the party was fully prepared for the upcoming polls in the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency, expressing confidence in its candidates, Prince Joe Okojie and Johnny Ikponmwosa Aikpitanyi respectively.
While reaffirming the PDP’s grassroots strength and its belief in electoral victory, Aziegbemi raised alarm over the alleged compromised conduct of certain electoral officials during the last gubernatorial election in the state.
“We unequivocally demand the immediate redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuaha, due to his ignoble role in the last governorship election. His actions undermined the credibility and integrity of that process, and we cannot permit such a tainted official to oversee the forthcoming bye-elections,” Aziegbemi had demanded.
He further called for the removal of the Electoral Officers who oversaw the controversial 2024 governorship election in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Egor, Etsako West, Etsako East, and Akoko Edo local government areas, insisting their continued presence threatens public trust in the electoral process.
“Their involvement in the irregularities that marred the last governorship election makes their participation in these bye-elections unacceptable,” he added.
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The long-simmering debate over Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement flared up again on Tuesday as northern political leaders, technocrats, traditional rulers, and civil society actors converged on Kaduna to assess President Bola Tinubu’s performance two years into his tenure.
The high-powered meeting, convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation and held at the historic Arewa House, brought together some of the most influential voices from across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The two-day event, themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity,” underscored both the region’s weight in national politics and the urgency of the questions being asked about Nigeria’s future under Tinubu.
Top dignitaries in attendance included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa; and other service chiefs — all northerners appointed by Tinubu.
Representing the President, Akume assured the gathering that Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” was already delivering results.
North should wait
In what appeared to be a warning to northern politicians already preparing for 2027, Akume reminded the gathering that by the principle of rotation, the North’s turn would not come until 2031.
“In 1999, northern patriots like Solomon Lar, Adamu Ciroma, Abubakar Rimi, and Jerry Gana agreed that power rotation is key to peace and national cohesion. Based on that unwritten understanding, the North will be eligible again in 2031,” he declared.
He urged patience, saying, “Let us be patient. Nigeria will not cease to exist before 2031. When it’s our turn, the nation will know.”
Afenifere, MBF react
The Middle Belt Forum expressed agreement with Akume on the issue of power rotation in Nigeria.
In an interview with The PUNCH in Jos on Tuesday, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Bitrus Pogu, said as long as the country practices rotation, which is a gentleman’s agreement rather than a constitutional provision, Akume’s statement that the North should wait until 2031 for the presidency holds water.
Pogu emphasised that the agreement on rotation was initially made by the PDP, not the APC, but believes it’s essential to respect such arrangements for peaceful transition and coexistence in a plural society like Nigeria.
“Yes, a southerner is in the presidential seat at the moment, and another southerner could contest for the seat; then the North should be patient till 2031,” Pogu stated.
However, Pogu lamented that Nigeria’s current situation is “unfortunate” due to the country’s inability to transcend ethnic and regional divisions.
“We are still at an archaic arrangement where anybody who comes in tries to satisfy his people to the maximum at the expense of others,” he noted, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and nationalistic approach to leadership.
While the Middle Belt Forum acknowledges the current power rotation arrangement, Pogu believes that Nigeria’s divisions are a legacy of British colonial rule and that a radical shift in approach is needed to foster national unity.
“It will take some radical person coming on board to be able to dismantle this thing so that Nigerians from anywhere, given his pedigree, can become president,” he said, expressing hope for a more united and inclusive Nigeria in the future.
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, threw its weight behind Akume.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the Organising Secretary of the group, Kole Omololu, said, “We commend the SGF’s firm and principled articulation of the necessity to uphold the unwritten but nationally recognised convention of power rotation.
“It is our conviction, and evidently his as well, that for the sake of equity and cohesion, the Presidency must remain in the South until 2031.
“This position, rooted in historical precedent and political decorum, is a stabilising message that Nigerians of goodwill should embrace. The call for restraint by Northern politicians who are prematurely eyeing the 2027 contest is both prudent and patriotic.
“Akume’s clarification that the Renewed Hope Agenda is not an empty slogan but a structured governance blueprint deserves commendation.
“His emphasis on transparency, rule of law, and participation as guiding principles reflects the kind of clarity and accountability that must characterise public service.
“It is incumbent upon every region, particularly those who overwhelmingly supported the present administration, to assess government performance not by sentiment, but through data, delivery and strategic impact.”
He added, “We note the ongoing projects listed, including the rehabilitation of the Kaduna refinery, the expansion of gas pipelines, and railway lines connecting economic corridors. These are significant undertakings which, if completed with sincerity and competence, can catalyse regional development and foster national integration. While economic reforms have no doubt caused hardship, the long-term benefits, as outlined, must be communicated with honesty, not propaganda.
“Afenifere appreciates the composure and statesmanship displayed by Akume. At a time of deepening socio-political anxieties, his intervention is both reassuring and necessary.
“We call on other senior public figures to emulate such candour, and for all Nigerians to prioritise national interest above sectional ambition.”
LP, NNPP speak
The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, warned against barring northern candidates from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Johnson said if President Tinubu could disrupt the delicate religious and ethnocentric political balance the country has been practising before 2023, nobody should grandstand with the rhetoric of fielding only a Southern candidate.
He said, “We had developed a culture where we felt two things were sacrosanct, which were Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim tickets, and the rotation from North to South.
“However, you will see that at the last election, the issue of a mixed ticket to keep some form of balance in the country was jettisoned.
“Today, we have a Muslim-Muslim ticket in governance, and the country hasn’t collapsed. So why would anyone think the country would collapse or go bad if the northern candidate wins in 2027?
“There must not be a restriction because when there was none regarding religious balance, why should there be a restriction regarding where the person comes from?”
The Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, also shared his sentiment.
According to him, what Nigeria should be more concerned about is the competence and intellectual ability of the candidates, not the region.
He said, “We have opened our doors for anybody who wants to contest, whether you are from the South or the West. It’s not all about zoning, but getting the right leader for Nigeria.
“So if the person is coming from the North or South, he is welcome. As far as we are concerned, there is no hard and fast rule about this. It’s about the people of Nigeria and our economy. It’s about security, health, technology, and a country we can truly call our own in terms of culture and values.
“Labour Party is determined to help Nigerians by bringing somebody, regardless of where he is coming from, who jas the capacity to turn this nation around.”
Babachir slams Akume
A former SGF, Babachir Lawal, said it would be foolhardy of the APC and ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet to ask the North to wait for 2031 before fielding a candidate for election.
Lawal said it would amount to mockery, knowing that Tinubu and the ruling party were the ones who broke the unwritten agreement on power rotation in the country when they introduced a Muslim-Muslim ticket into the political equation.
He queried, “Are competent people found only in the South? Is that what Akume and Tinubu are saying? Let me know if there is a document somewhere that says it is the turn of Southerners again.
“I don’t think it is written anywhere that you can’t truncate the tenure of a bad president just because he is from the South. If the APC fields a Southern candidate, that is their choice, not our own.
“We shouldn’t be talking about the APC. These are people who have no standard at all.
“How can somebody who fielded a Muslim-Muslim ticket, when the standard has not always been the same faith ticket, suddenly turn around and start demanding that a standard must be followed?
‘When he broke the implied understanding, why didn’t he say that before? Even in the military, it has always been Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim. Why is he now saying it’s the turn of the South? Even the Southerners are not comfortable with his government.
“I once told you in an interview that Tinubu and his people have opened Pandora’s box. Now, they can’t hold anybody to any standard. They can’t have their cake and eat it.”
APGA, PDP react
The All Progressives Grand Alliance threw its weight behind the call for the South to produce Nigeria’s President in 2027.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Ejimofor Opara, said the party would prioritise the South when it was time to pick its presidential flagbearer.
He said, “It is the turn of the South to produce the president in 2027. We will certainly promote a southern candidate,” adding that “More importantly, the progressives will surely work together come 2027.”
He, however, made it clear that the party would have nothing to do with the ADC-led coalition being championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“APGA is not part of any coalition of spent politicians. Their mission is unpatriotic. It is nothing about the people. Thus, we don’t consider them to be progressives by their very ideals,” he added.
But the Peoples Democratic Party maintained that Nigerians would ultimately decide Tinubu’s fate at the ballot box.
PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, said: “By 2027, Nigerians will vote them out because they have failed—failed woefully. So, they won’t be there till 2031.”
With voices for and against a southern presidency growing louder, the Kaduna parley has set the stage for what promises to be an intense build-up to the 2027 elections — one that could redefine Nigeria’s delicate balance of power.
Kwankwaso under fire
A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Yekini Nabena, faulted recent remarks by Kwankwaso concerning national development and project allocation.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Nabena dismissed Kwankwaso’s claims, insisting that no ethnic, religious, or regional sentiment could undermine the legitimacy of a Southern presidency.
He stressed that the South’s completing eight years in power was non-negotiable.
Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the New Nigeria People’s Party, had accused the Federal Government of disproportionately favouring the South in project distribution, citing poor road infrastructure in the North and a concentration of development in the South.
However, the Presidency refuted his claims by releasing a list of projects, which showed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had allocated more funds to northern projects than those in the South.
Also responding to Kwankwaso, Nabena alleged that “the former governor’s real intention was to incite the northerners against the current administration and the re-election of a southerner in 2027 to complete eight years of a Southern presidency in the seat of power.”
The APC chieftain said such incitement for “a political business or negotiation, like some politicians did in 2019 and 2023, could no longer work because the people now know the real intention.
“The Kano voters now know who is using them for political business, and even the political gladiators now understand the tactics of political merchants.
“Is the North inferior or superior to the South after eight years of the North in the helm of affairs of Nigeria?
“Why is Senator Kwankwaso still complaining of underdevelopment in the North when the region has just completed its eight years?
“One will also wonder which of the northern money or resources was used to develop the South? Is it the gold, rice, or groundnut pyramid?
“As a politician, we all understand what the former governor is up to. He is working hard to incite the North against the Southern presidency, but that has failed woefully because the South must complete the eight years in the presidency for fairness and equity.”
The former APC spokesperson firmly stated that Kwankwaso lacked both the ability and influence to intimidate the South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“You cannot intimidate the South or anybody with Kano votes any longer because, as politicians, we all know the game and what you are up to.
“The era of playing religious or ethnic cards is becoming far unfashionable,” Nabena warned.
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