Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State on Friday took their protest to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, challenging the outcome of the party’s primary election for Agege Constituency I ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group, led by Johnson Kolawole, alleged that the results of the May 20, 2026, primary election were altered to the detriment of Egunjobi Ganiyu Kola, whom they claimed emerged victorious in the exercise but was subsequently denied recognition as the party’s candidate.
Addressing journalists after submitting a petition to the party leadership, the protesters called on the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and members of the National Working Committee, NWC, to review the outcome of the primary.
Kolawole said the delegation comprised the chairmen and secretaries of the five wards that make up Agege Constituency I, as well as the APC chairman and secretary in the local government.
According to him, results collated from the primary election showed that Egunjobi secured 9,132 votes out of the 10,126 votes cast across the constituency’s five wards. He added that another aspirant, Oladipo Tunde Shola, polled 560 votes, while Oluwagbenga Michael Abiola received 434 votes.
The protesters maintained that Egunjobi was duly screened, cleared to contest, and officially declared the winner by the returning officer, Hon. Kayode Kassim Eleshin, at the conclusion of the exercise.
Kolawole further claimed that the primary election was monitored by APC officials, observers from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, journalists and other stakeholders, describing the process as peaceful, transparent and credible.
However, he expressed concern over the subsequent publication of Oluwagbenga Michael Abiola as the APC candidate for Agege Constituency I in a newspaper report dated May 25, 2026.
According to him, the published outcome was inconsistent with the results announced at the primary election.
“We respectfully urge the National Working Committee and all relevant organs and committees of our great party to uphold the authentic result as declared by the Returning Officer and formally recognise Egunjobi Ganiyu Kola as the duly elected APC candidate for Lagos State House of Assembly, Agege Constituency I,” Kolawole stated.
He added that the group was prepared to submit documentary evidence, video recordings from the five wards, as well as reports from election observers and security agencies to support its claims.
The protesters also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership to intervene and ensure that what they described as the genuine mandate of party members in the constituency is respected and protected.