Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) have refuted claims of imposition during the recently concluded party primaries, maintaining that the selection process was transparent and legitimate.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Hon. Akinola Idowu, the APC chairmanship candidate for Orile-Agege, dismissed the backlash surrounding the primaries as baseless, attributing the protests to “politicians lacking sportsmanship.”

“We consider it necessary to let the public hear from us regarding the debate our elections as candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Agege and Orile-Agege in the forthcoming local government election in Lagos State is generating,” Idowu said.

He described the opposition as “a very small, inconsequential set of fringe party members,” claiming that many of the aggrieved aspirants only recently joined the party or live abroad.

“The so-called aggrieved group includes failed aspirants, some of whom only recently joined us from the PDP, others living abroad. Politics is local, not about annual visits or WhatsApp donations,” he stated.

According to Idowu, the dissenters resorted to “cheap blackmail” and brought in outsiders to inflate their numbers and spread misinformation.

“They had to recruit people with no affiliation to our party to swell their ranks in order to deceive undiscerning minds, and give a false impression that they have a good number of our party members in their camp.”

Idowu stood by the integrity of the primaries that produced him and Agege chairmanship candidate, Alhaji Tunde Azeez.

“The primaries conducted by our party that produced us were transparent, free, and fair,” he said, challenging critics to a rerun. “If they insist on imposition, we challenge them to a rerun—any format, any venue—they’ll see we’re on ground.”

Hon. Fatai Ajibola, APC General Secretary for Agege Federal Constituency, echoed Idowu’s stance.

“I participated in the primaries. They were free and fair. If there’s a rerun, the outcome will be the same. We are all APC, and we must work together for victory,” Ajibola said.

Responding to concerns raised about Azeez’s health and allegations of favoritism involving Rt. Hon. Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and his son, Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa—Azeez’s running mate—Idowu called the accusations unwarranted and misleading.

“It is a fact that our colleague, Alhaji Azeez, is currently sick. It is equally a fact that part of human nature is to fall sick at times. For your information, his sickness is neither terminal nor is he bedridden,” he clarified.

He dismissed criticism against Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa as unfounded:
“We find it laughable and nonsensical that their argument against the young man borders on the circumstances of his birth — the fortune of being sired by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly… despite his intimidating academic record and huge contribution to our community in terms of philanthropy.”

Hon. Johnson Babatunde, Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, urged party members to set aside their differences and work toward a united front ahead of the local elections.

“Elections will always produce winners and losers. If they insist on imposition, we challenge them to a rerun—any format, any venue—they’ll see we’re on ground,” he said.

Backing the call for reconciliation, APC Publicity Secretary for Agege Local Government, Alhaji Salisu Danjuma, reaffirmed that the primaries were free of external interference.