The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has denied allegations that it has drawn up a predetermined list of candidates ahead of its forthcoming primaries for the House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly, describing the claims as false and deliberately misleading.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, said the party remained committed to democratic procedures, reiterating that direct primaries would be adopted where consensus could not be reached among aspirants after consultation.
The rebuttal followed accusations by a group calling itself “Concerned Members of the Lagos State chapter of the APC”, which alleged that senior figures within the party were attempting to impose preferred candidates in violation of its stated commitment to internal democracy.
Led by Tunde Samson, the group named Obafemi Hamzat, James Faleke, Ojelabi and party chieftain Mutiu Aare as being involved in compiling what it described as a secret list of candidates.
The group argued that such actions, if true, would undermine the rights of party members to freely choose their representatives and run contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
But Ojelabi dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and “mischievous”, accusing unnamed actors of attempting to manufacture a crisis within the party.
“There is no plot, no clandestine meetings, and no predetermined list of candidates as falsely alleged,” he said. “It is deeply unfortunate that certain elements, unable to advance their ambitions through legitimate party channels, have resorted to propaganda, blackmail and anonymous media sensationalism.”
He described the claims as a “desperate fabrication” and a calculated attempt to inflame tensions, insisting that the party remained guided by the law, its constitution and directives from its national leadership.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Electoral Act, as amended, is crystal clear on the lawful process for the emergence of candidates,” he said. “Where consensus cannot be reached through broad consultation and mutual agreement, there shall be direct primaries. This position is settled, lawful and non-negotiable.”
Ojelabi maintained that the Lagos APC would not be swayed by what he termed “sponsored misinformation” or “clandestine scheming”, stressing that the party’s internal processes would be upheld.
“The voice of duly registered party members remains supreme,” he said. “That voice shall find full expression through duly sanctioned democratic mechanisms.”
He urged party members and the public to disregard the allegations, warning that those behind them were seeking to erode trust and provoke unnecessary political anxiety ahead of the primaries.
“Internal democracy will prevail, due process will be upheld, and the collective will of our members shall remain the ultimate determinant of candidate emergence,” he added.
