The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the much-anticipated screening results for aspirants seeking to contest chairmanship positions in the upcoming 2025 local government elections across Lagos State.
The results, compiled by the party’s screening committee led by Hon. Babatunde Ogala (SAN, OFR), show that the party has cleared majority of aspirants, while disqualifying or failing a handful based on critical eligibility criteria.
According to the official document received by NewsmakersNG, over 500 aspirants were screened for chairmanship slots in the state’s 57 local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs). Notably, candidates such as Makinde R. Lanre (OJOKORO LCDA) and Jakande O. Lawal (ODI-OLOWO LCDA) emerged top performers, scoring as high as 100% and 94%, respectively.
Young contenders also made an impression. In Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, 34-year-old Azeezat Damilola Odubajo stood out with a remarkable 91%, signaling a growing generational shift in Lagos grassroots politics.
However, the process wasn’t without casualties. Several aspirants were either disqualified or deemed unsuccessful. Common disqualifying factors included absence of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), inability to vote within the LGA, and forgery of academic credentials. In Eti-Osa East, Ogungbo Oseni Samad was disqualified following a petition, while Olukayode David Ishola of Bariga LCDA was caught with a fake secondary school certificate.
Interestingly, while most LGAs had all aspirants cleared, others saw one or more individuals either absent from screening or fall below the performance threshold. In Lagos Island East, Adeniji Aderemi scored just 50% and was deemed “below average.”
Abdulganiyu Obasa, the 31-year-old son of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, was declared absent at the screening.
The screening committee’s vetting signals the APC’s commitment to fielding credible and competent candidates as it seeks to maintain its dominance in Lagos politics.
With the primaries now imminent, the cleared aspirants will jostle for the party’s ticket, a contest that promises to be as competitive as it is consequential for grassroots governance in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
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