Lagos LG polls: ACN members protest alleged imposition of candidates

LAGOS— Protesters in Lagos, yesterday, defied an early morning downpour to protest nominations by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, for the forthcoming local government elections.
Yesterday’s demonstrations centred on Shomolu which followed earlier protests in Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Ejigbo, Oriade, Isolo, Lagos Island and at the state party secretariat at Ogba.

Party supporters at the rally.

The protests were inspired by criticisms that majority of the candidates nominated by the party for chairmanship and councilor positions in the council polls scheduled for October 22 were incumbents who were imposed.
The demonstrations also followed several petitions by aggrieved aspirants and their supporters and stakeholders that some of the party’s candidates performed very poorly and did not deserve a second term in office.
The party conducted a central primary two weeks ago at the party’s State Secretariat at Acme Road, Ogba. However, two days to the primary elections, the Elders Council of the party had at a meeting in the residence of a revered senior figure in the party resolved that all incumbents who performed creditably should be returned to office for a second term.
The resolution of the elders’ council held sway after the party primaries as some of the incumbents who were beaten were subsequently enlisted in the party’s nomination list released penultimate Monday.
Only three of the party’s incumbent chairmen were dropped in the list. Those dropped were chairmen of Surulere, the home base of Governor Babatunde Fashola; Agbado-Oke-odo and Ifako/Ijaye.
The publicity secretary of the state chapter of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, however, rebuffed any schism in the party saying yesterday that the demonstrations were part of the democratic process. He nevertheless insisted that the party has the right to reward those who have worked hard for it and have been faithful to its philosophy.
Yesterday’s protest in Somolu was against the nomination of the incumbent Chairman of the council, Mr Gbolahan Bagostowe for a second term.
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