A political group under the aegis of Restoring Apata Mandate has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intervene in the crisis brewing in Bariga, Lagos, over the alleged imposition of a candidate.
The members of the group comprising youth leaders and supporters of the lawmaker representing Shomolu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Olufemi Apata, said they have rejected what they described as an attempt to impose another candidate, despite the outcome of the party’s primary election.
The aggrieved stakeholders, under the platform of “Restoring Apata Mandate,” voiced their concerns during a press conference in Bariga, insisting that the results of the APC direct primary election held on 20 May reflected the clear choice of party members.
According to figures presented by the group, Apata polled 9,081 votes across the wards in Shomolu Constituency II, while his closest rival secured 677 votes.
Addressing reporters, the group’s Convener, Segun Adesanya, described the situation as an injustice against the wishes of party members and residents who participated in the primary election.
“We queued behind Hon. Samuel Apata and voted massively for him. He scored over 9,000 votes, and suddenly we heard that another person may be imposed on us. That is not what democracy stands for,” Adesanya said.
He argued that all aspirants were allowed to participate in the direct primary after consensus arrangements failed, stressing that party leaders should respect the outcome.
The candidate they are trying to impose rejected the consensus and insisted on direct primaries. The party granted that request, and members came out to vote. Now that the process has produced a winner, it is wrong to disregard the result,” he stated.
Adesanya further appealed to APC leaders to intervene and preserve the party’s integrity in Bariga.
Our message is simple: restore our mandate. We came out in the rain and under the sun to vote for Apata. We want the party leadership to respect the wishes of the people and allow the candidate who won the primary to fly the party’s flag,” he said.
He warned that failure to address party members’ concerns could create disaffection among grassroots supporters ahead of future elections.
Also speaking, APC Youth Leader in Bariga, Caleb Bononitola, said party members complied fully with the guidelines issued for the conduct of the primaries and expected the outcome to be honoured.
