The crisis within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has taken a fresh turn as party elders, ward executives and grassroots members in Eti-Osa Constituency I called for the reinstatement of Noheem Adams as the party’s candidate.
The stakeholders made the demand during a world press conference, where they expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged suppression of the outcome of the APC primary election conducted on May 20, 2026.
Speaking during the briefing, the APC Apex Leader in Eti-Osa, Taiwo Jegede Jacob, said party members in the constituency were increasingly concerned about the controversy surrounding the primary and the decision to disregard Adams’ reported victory.
The organisers claimed that Adams polled 7,638 votes against his opponent’s 1,225 votes, describing the margin as a clear indication of the choice of party members at the primary.
The stakeholders warned that failure to recognise the reported result could have implications for the party’s internal democracy and its chances of retaining support ahead of the forthcoming general election.
“Our position is not borne out of hatred, personal ambition, or opposition to any individual,” a spokesperson for the group stated. “Rather, it is borne out of our love for the APC, our commitment to the unity of our party and our determination to ensure victory at the forthcoming election. If our party believes in internal democracy and the supremacy of the will of its members, why should the overwhelming mandate of our members be disregarded?”
The press conference was attended by several prominent figures within the constituency, including the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, and Eti-Osa East Apex Leader, as well as youth representatives and Christian and Muslim leaders from different parts of the district.
The stakeholders appealed to the national and state leadership of the APC to intervene in the matter. They specifically called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, and Lagos State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, to address the dispute.
The group also urged the party leadership to implement the recommendations of the APC Reconciliation Committee, which they said had recommended the return of the ticket to Adams as a means of preventing further disagreement ahead of the election.
“Reconciliation cannot merely be about asking aggrieved members to accept an outcome that they believe is unjust,” the group noted. “True reconciliation must address the root of the disagreement, the mandate freely expressed at the primary election.”
While reaffirming their commitment to the APC, the stakeholders cautioned the party against imposing a candidate they claimed did not enjoy the support of the majority of its members in the constituency.
They subsequently presented five demands to the party leadership.
The stakeholders called for formal recognition of the May 20, 2026 primary results, the re-issuance of the party’s nomination to Adams based on the reported voting margin, and implementation of the recommendations of the APC Reconciliation Committee.
They also demanded wider consultations with genuine grassroots stakeholders as part of efforts to resolve the dispute and urged the party to desist from imposing candidates contrary to the preferences expressed by its rank-and-file members.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC leadership at both the state and national levels had not publicly responded to the demands raised by the Eti-Osa Constituency I stakeholders.
