The controversial press statement issued by the APC chairman on December 29, 2024, had sparked outrage from opposition parties.
The Lagos State chapter of the African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned a statement issued by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which announced the upcoming local government elections across 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state in 2025.
In a reaction on Monday, the AAC State Chairman, Comrade Ayoyinka Oni, accused the APC chairman of making a "disturbing, embarrassing, manipulative, and insulting" declaration.
The controversial press statement issued by the APC chairman on December 29, 2024, had sparked outrage from opposition parties.
The parties believed the timing and content of the announcement undermined the independence of the state electoral commission.
“We in the African Action Congress, Lagos, cannot stand by while such a blatant attempt to manipulate the electoral process takes place,” Oni stated.
The APC chairman had stated in the press statement that "The APC wishes to inform all and sundry that the local government election will hold across the state in 20 Local government councils and the 37 local government council development area in the year 2025."
Oni explained that based on the foregoing, the AAC would like to know when the APC chairman, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, became LASIEC Chairman or the Speaker of the House of Assembly or a Justice of the Supreme Court.
"This political thuggery through statements and actions is exactly how the APC has been holding Lagos captive for the past years and it must be stopped at all cost.
"The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission is not an appendage of any political party, so why exactly would the chairman of APC be so bold to declare such?"
"We are expecting that, in the next 24 hours the LASIEC would have reacted to the press statement of the APC and declare such unconstitutional, abuse of process null and void," he added.
He said political parties in Lagos had no trust in LASIEC because of the past elections which had always been unfair to all except the APC.
"Now that APC has made such a statement, this has further reduced the confidence on LASIEC thereby undermining their legitimacy. This would not be acceptable, because Lagosians want a free and fair elections this time around.
"We want to refer the good people of Lagos to the press conference of the AAC held on the 31st of October, 2024 where we expressly stated that the AAC would never be a party to aid or abet any act of disregard to the rule of law, or to go against the pronouncement of the Supreme Court which is the apex court of the country on the local government autonomy and other constitutional protection of the local government."
Oni noted that the House of Assembly should not in any form carry out an amendment that tampers with the July ruling and the Constitution.
He said, "Thus the proposal for an election in the LCDAs that is not constitutionally recognised or the plan to create an area administration council by the House of Assembly for the governor to appoint mayors (administrator) is unacceptable."
The AAC chairman said that election should hold in the 20 local government councils as stated by the constitution and the local government chairmen should manage their wards under the local government councils together with their councillors legislating.
The statement read, "Justice Garba, Agim, Nwosu, Haruna, Habeeb, Tukur and Aseimo did not pass this judgement on 11th of July, 2024 for a party Chairman or the house of Assembly to undermine. The LCDA'S is not recognized by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"Undermining this constitutional pronouncement and court ruling is a treasonable act under the 1999 constitution, Section 1 subsection 2.
"Section 7(1), Section 1(3), should be followed to prevent disregard for rule of law, allow separation of powers and to prevent any anti- independence and anti-progression of the local government law.
"Our local government areas have poor road infrastructure, poor classrooms, poor drainage system, poor primary healthcare centers and the local government chairmen have turned to NGOs or become NGOs themselves to run the local government areas.
He said contrary to the statement of the APC, Lagosians would not coexist properly or peacefully when the ruling party and the Assembly keep undermining the constitution to put the local government in bondage.
"We, the African Action Congress, Lagos chapter would not stand for it. We reject illegalities and we stand with the people. Any illegality would be rejected in the media, social media and on the street till justice prevails," Oni added.