Crisis Rocks Lagos APC as GAC Faction Moves to Oust Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been thrown into turmoil as cracks emerged within its highest decision-making body, the Governance Advisory Council, over calls to remove the party’s chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi.

On Monday, tensions boiled over when a group of disgruntled APC members from several local government areas stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly in protest. Their demands were clear: Ojelabi must step down. They accused him and other top party leaders of undermining grassroots democracy through the imposition of candidates and exclusionary politics.

Protesters carried placards with messages such as “Ojelabi Must Go,” “Faleke is a Betrayal,” and “Ojelabi, Mr Voter’s Apathy,” highlighting their frustrations with what they described as top-down manipulation of party affairs. Their central grievance revolved around the conduct of the recently concluded local government elections and the lack of consultation in appointing supervisory positions across local councils.

Ogumba Adetunbosun, one of the protest leaders from Ikorodu, said the agitation was fueled by growing dissatisfaction with how elected local government officials were installed. He claimed that while councillors and chairpersons were elected, decisions about key supervisory roles were made without input from party stakeholders at the grassroots level.

According to Adetunbosun, the process lacked transparency and accountability, undermining the core principles of democracy. He noted that politicians from all 57 local councils felt sidelined and ignored, especially in decisions involving the selection of supervisors and secretaries to local governments.

Mrs Bola Balogun from Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA echoed similar concerns. She criticized senior APC figures for delaying the appointment of supervisors and accused them of attempting to impose loyalists on the system without involving the people who actually voted.

Balogun questioned the directive allegedly issued by Governor Sanwo-Olu to delay appointments by two months. She warned that such actions erode trust in party leadership and alienate the grassroots, who are the foundation of electoral success.

Within the Governance Advisory Council, divisions over Ojelabi’s leadership are becoming more pronounced. Chief Muraina Taiwo, a GAC member, threw his weight behind the call for Ojelabi’s removal. He accused the party chairman of favouring the Justice Forum faction to the detriment of others, including the Mandate group.

Taiwo shared a personal example, alleging that his son, who had aspirations to become a councillor, was deliberately disqualified due to factional politics. According to him, Ojelabi’s leadership lacks inclusiveness and has tilted party operations unfairly in favour of one group.

He warned that if the situation remains unchanged, the APC could face serious setbacks in the 2027 elections. Taiwo also stated that although he was not directly involved in the protests, the grievances being expressed were valid and rooted in real experiences of exclusion.

Another GAC member, who chose to remain anonymous, said the council has not officially discussed any motion to remove Ojelabi. However, he acknowledged that the issues raised by protesters deserve attention and consideration.

He emphasized the need for GAC members to maintain party unity and not dismiss the concerns of loyal members, even if the matter had not yet been formally tabled within the council.

Amid the unrest, the GAC chairman, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, could not be reached for comment. His aide told reporters that he was unavailable at the moment.

In response to the accusations, Ojelabi dismissed the protests and the allegations as unfounded. He described the aggrieved members as individuals who lack grassroots support and are unhappy because the party is no longer run as a vehicle for personal gain.

Ojelabi defended his leadership, pointing to the party’s sweeping victories in the last local government elections where APC won 375 out of 376 councillorship seats and all 57 chairmanship positions.

He explained that Governor Sanwo-Olu’s instruction to delay supervisor appointments was meant to allow newly elected officials time to settle into their roles and understand the challenges and assets they are inheriting. He stressed that appointments would be made at the local level through consultations with community leaders, not through top-down impositions.

Ojelabi accused his critics of being impatient and seeking to bypass due process. He insisted that once recommendations come from local leaders, the party would approve them. He assured that the process would be inclusive and merit-based, and urged members to allow time for the system to work.

He also suggested that the protests were being led by those who failed to win during the democratic selection process and now seek to undermine the results.

In a related development, Lagos APC spokesperson Seye Oladejo issued a statement acknowledging the rights of members to protest peacefully. He described civic expression as an important part of party politics and commended those who conducted themselves in an orderly manner.

Oladejo, however, clarified that the selection of cabinet members at the local level would follow party guidelines and be led by local leadership. He stressed that the state party’s role is purely advisory and denied any claims of imposition from above.

He urged aggrieved members to channel their concerns through official party structures and promised that the party remains committed to resolving disputes fairly and transparently. He appealed for patience and dialogue to maintain unity as the party navigates its internal challenges.