The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently grappling with internal discord following its recently concluded local government primaries, as over 100 petitions have been filed by disgruntled aspirants across the state.

According to party officials, the Appeal Committee has received formal complaints from 45 chairmanship aspirants and 59 councillorship hopefuls, challenging the legitimacy of the primaries conducted last Saturday. The grievances span all 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in Lagos State.

In response to the mounting complaints, the APC leadership on Monday constituted an appeal panel headed by Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, to address the concerns raised by party members.

Oluseye Oladejo, spokesperson for the Lagos APC, confirmed the development, stating that the party had received "45 chairmanship petitions and 59 councillorship petitions." He assured that "the committee will conclude its assignment this week," emphasizing the party's commitment to addressing all genuine concerns in accordance with internal democratic processes.

The Appeal Committee had set a deadline of 12 p.m. on Tuesday for aggrieved aspirants to submit their petitions contesting the outcomes of the primaries.

Civil Society Raises Alarm

Meanwhile, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), a civil society organisation, has called for an independent investigation into the controversies surrounding the conduct of the APC primaries in Lagos.

During a press briefing on Wednesday in Abule Egba, Lagos, Kunle Ajayi, General Secretary of the group, expressed serious concerns about the implications of what he described as a flawed process. He warned that the irregularities could have far-reaching consequences for the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

Ajayi described the situation as "an example of how the local government autonomy and democracy are being rubbished by the powers that be, denying the working people ample chances to participate in true governance."

The group alleged a "subversion of democratic norms during the recently conducted APC local government primary elections in Lagos State." Ajayi specifically highlighted Agege as an area where "massive protests over impositions" had occurred.

"These actions not only threaten the sanctity of the democratic process but also set a dangerous precedent for future elections, including the 2027 general election," Ajayi stated, warning that failure to properly investigate could "further alienate Nigerians from democratic participation."

The civil society group has called on "all lovers of democracy, within and outside Nigeria" to join in their struggle against what they describe as "anti-democratic manipulation."

As the APC Appeal Committee continues its deliberations, political observers are closely monitoring the situation, which could significantly impact the upcoming local government elections in Lagos State.