Eniola Bambe 
An All Progressives Congress (APC) group under the aegis of Concerned APC Progressives based in Lagos has petitioned the party’s National Caretaker Committee over the forthcoming local government elections in the state. The group alleged that it is unconstitutional to allow the party chairman in Lagos State, Tunde Balogun to present candidates for local governments not recognised by the 1999 constitution. The group in a petition signed by its chairman, Kabir Onalapo, and secretary, Olajide Olukogbe, said the constitution only recognised 20 Local Government for the state and not 57. It alleged that allowing Balogun to present candidates for 57 local governments is a subversion of the provisions of the party’s constitution and capable of eroding the core values of the party.
They considered it expedient and imperative to bring the infraction to the knowledge of the party because if left unattended would thwart the overall efforts of the National Body in deepening democracy in Nigeria. “If this is allowed without the party at the National level taking urgent steps to correct the anomaly it might grievously affect and undermine the existence of the political party in the state” they alleged. The group stated that if LAISEC goes ahead to conduct any Local Government election as stated on July 24, 2021, it would not only violate the core values of the party but also the section of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria which recognizes only 20 local government councils for Lagos State as against the much flaunted 57 local government councils.
T he group reminded the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman that it would amount to travesty of justice and an act of impunity for the ruling political party at the National level which usually acts in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution in all States of the Federation to allow the political party at the State level to behave otherwise. They, therefore, urged the National Body to prevail on the Governor of Lagos State to advise LAISEC to conduct election only in the constitutionally recognised 20 local government councils and desist from conducting election in the 57 local government councils to avoid national embarrassment for the party.