Rebellion In Lagos APC: Aggrieved Members Take To Streets Against Obasa’s ‘One-Man Rule

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in Agege and Orile-Agege have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to wade into what they describe as the unjust imposition of political candidates by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.

The group accused Obasa of handpicking loyalists, including a reportedly bedridden chairmanship candidate and his son—a previously disqualified vice chairman aspirant.

Last week, angry residents staged a protest to reject the list of candidates recently released by the party for the forthcoming local government elections. The discontent escalated on Tuesday as the APC-PCC members hit the streets of Agege once again, chanting “Enough is enough,” and accusing Obasa of dominating all political structures in the area.

Protesters carried placards with bold inscriptions like “Red Card, Obasa,” and “Otoge”—a slogan symbolic of resistance against political tyranny—and called on President Tinubu to act urgently.

Speaking during the demonstration, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the APC-PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, said their agitation is not an attempt to abandon the APC but a demand for true democracy.

“There’s no genuine democracy in Agege. We’ve fought this battle for years. One of our leaders died in 2018 during a similar protest, and 11 others were jailed. One man cannot keep controlling our political future. We demand inclusion, not dictatorship,” Sabitu stated.

He reaffirmed their loyalty to the party and President Tinubu but insisted that Obasa should stop handpicking candidates and instead consult widely with local stakeholders. Sabitu also revealed that over 2,000 signatures had been collected rejecting the imposed candidates.

Supporting the protest, Saheed Obadina stressed: “We back President Tinubu and support his second term, but one man cannot hijack the political will of an entire community.”

Another PCC member, Omolola Abiodun, condemned the nomination of a sick individual as chairman: “The chosen candidate has been bedridden for months. This isn’t democracy. Agege has better-qualified people.”