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Lagos APC Party Kicks Over Governor Sanwo-Olu’s Brother, Others Appointed To Primaries Committee

On Monday, the Lagos APC inaugurated a nine-man state committee for the forthcoming Governorship, State, and National Assembly primaries slated for May 26 and May 27.

The All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change, a group within the party, has rejected the committee inaugurated by the leadership of the party in Lagos State to oversee the conduct of the primary elections in the state.
On Monday, the Lagos APC inaugurated a nine-man state committee for the forthcoming Governorship, State, and National Assembly primaries slated for May 26 and May 27.

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The committee, according to reports, is headed by the APC Zonal Organising Secretary, Lateef Ibirogba.
The other members include: Olayinka Oladunjoye, Bola Badmus-Olujobi, Hakeem Odumosu, Gbolahan Idris, Adebayo Sanwo-Olu, Sodiq Ademola, Oluremi Shopeyin and Muritala Seriki.
In a statement on Tuesday issued by Bayo Aderibigbe, the Publicity Secretary of the APC Professionals for Change, the group rejected the committee stating that the composition of the committee did not reflect a level-playing ground for all the contestants.
The group flayed the state chapter of the party for setting up the committee saying it was a usurpation of the functions of the national body which was constitutionally empowered to perform such duties.
According to the group, many individuals in the committee have strong ties with some of the contestants, hence allowing them to play the role of umpires could jeopardise the interests of other aspirants in the race.
The National President of the group, Hakeem Ogunsanya, queried why an elder brother of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would be named in the committee that would conduct an election in which his sibling would participate.
"The composition of the committee shows the desperation of some aspirants to subvert the process in their own interest. We have some elements in that committee who have close ties with some of the aspirants.
"It beats my imagination that our great party in the state would appoint the elder brother of the Governor to the committee that will conduct an election in which he is a contestant; this is like taking impunity to another level, what signal are we giving to other aspirants in the race? This is an aberration that shouldn't be allowed to stand.
"Our concerns are to protect the integrity of our party and the process; it shouldn't be the business of the state chapter of the party to set up primaries committee, it is an obligation constitutionally reserved for the national body. If we allow this aberration to scale through, we would be creating problems for the future because other states may want to copy that which will lead to further chaos," he said.
The group further urged the national leadership of the party to dissolve the Ibirogba-led committee and reconstitute another one that will reflect neutrality in fairness to all aspirants. 
"We in the All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change are calling on the National Chairman of our great party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu to take the bull by the horn and prevent the party from falling into a trap by exercising his powers to constitute a fresh primary committee according to the constitution of our party," Ogunsanya said.

 
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