Ahead of the February 3 conduct of by-elections into federal constituencies and vacant senatorial seats by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the All Progressives Congress will hold its primaries on Saturday, where its candidates are expected to emerge.
Checks revealed that the party unveiled lists of Committees to screen aspirants as well as Screening Appeal Committees on Wednesday. Further checks revealed that the Screening Committees commenced their assignments on Thursday.
In Lagos, where the primary will decide the candidate for the Surulere Federal Constituency to replace the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, a group within the APC, Progressives for Surulere (P4S), has cautioned the Chairman of the Screening Committees for the Federal Constituency, Honourable Hakeem Okunade, and the Secretary, Chief Magret Duru, to be fair to all aspirants.
The group offered the same admonition to the team that would be sent by the APC national secretariat to conduct the primary in Lagos State.
The Secretary-General of the Progressives for Surulere, Mr. Akin Jones Oladimeji, in a statement declared that the imposition of a candidate would instigate dissatisfaction that could cost the APC victory in the next February election. Oladimeji recalled that previous acts of impunity and imposition of candidates had resulted in electoral losses for the APC in the past.
The statement alleged that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives has a favoured candidate and warned of dire consequences for the ruling party.
“Everyone knows how we virtually lost both the House of Assembly and House of Reps elections in Surulere 2 Federal constituency to the opposition before getting them back after onerous efforts.
It took full blast support from Asiwaju to coalesce divided camps to work together, and we only managed to win with some margin of votes, and now he wants to impose a far less popular candidate.”
“Everything that APC stands for – progressive ideals, hope for the masses, social justice, morality in politics, and departure from impunity – are all being called into question.”
“Already, the opposition support groups and members are jubilant over being handed an opportunity for electoral victory on a platter of gold because they, like everyone else, can easily feel the pulse of Surulere people about the imposition of an anointed candidate.
The group asked those pushing for their anointed choice to borrow a leaf from former Lagos State Governor and immediate past Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), and Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom they noted have distanced themselves from the process.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who is a resident of Surulere, and other APC elders in Lagos State have honorably distanced themselves from any form of manipulation in Surulere 1 APC Reps primary, and even President Bola Tinubu visited Surulere without dabbling into the planned primary.
“There is no moral justification for imposing the wrong candidate or adding to further division within Surulere APC in ways that can only benefit the opposition in the area.”
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