Concerned members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area have petitioned the national leadership of the party, demanding a thorough investigation into the House of Assembly primary election held on May 20, 2026. The group, identified as the APC Ifako-Ijaiye Grassroots Forum (IGF), described the exercise as deeply flawed and inconsistent with democratic principles.
Allegations of Irregularities
The petition, dated May 26, 2026, and addressed to the National Chairman of the APC in Abuja, alleged widespread irregularities including result manipulation, voter intimidation, inflated vote figures, and the absence of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to the petitioners, the outcome, which declared incumbent Hon. Adewale Temitope Adedeji as the party’s candidate, did not reflect the genuine will of party members.
“The process was fundamentally flawed and did not reflect the will of party members,” the petition stated.
Specific Incidents Cited
The group alleged several irregularities across wards. In Ward B, they claimed fewer than 500 members were accredited to vote, yet over 4,000 votes were allegedly recorded for the incumbent from the same ward. Similar discrepancies were observed in Ward C and other wards within the local government.
The petition further accused some elected officials, including councilors and the Executive Chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, Hon. Hamzat Usman, of using their positions to intimidate voters. “Hon. Hamzat Usman moved around with posters of the incumbent, Hon. Adewale Temitope Adedeji, allegedly intimidating voters and denying some members the opportunity to vote in Ward C,” the petitioners claimed.
Additional Allegations
Additional allegations included disregard for party guidelines requiring valid membership slips for voting, harassment of members perceived to oppose the incumbent, and manipulation of vote collation in favor of the incumbent candidate. The petitioners also alleged that individuals were transported from one ward to another while voting was deliberately delayed in certain locations to facilitate voter movement. Accredited party agents were reportedly prevented from documenting proceedings, observing the collation process, and signing result sheets, actions described as violations of party guidelines and accepted electoral procedures.
The group expressed concern over the reported absence of INEC officials during the exercise, contrary to provisions of the Electoral Act and APC guidelines. They further alleged that the same individual was seen moving across different wards while acting as an INEC representative during vote counting. In another serious allegation, voters were allegedly transported in buses between polling units to cast multiple votes and influence the final outcome.
Call for Action
The APC Ifako-Ijaiye Grassroots Forum called on the party leadership to take immediate action by investigating the disputed primary election, constituting an independent investigative panel, and conducting a fresh, transparent primary election with proper accreditation procedures and neutral supervision. “We joined the APC to build a party founded on integrity and democratic values. Allowing these irregularities to stand could discourage members and damage the credibility of the party in Ifako-Ijaiye and beyond,” the petition added.
The group stated that a flash drive containing video evidence was attached to support its claims. As of the time of filing this report, the APC Lagos State chapter had not issued an official response to the allegations. Efforts to reach Hon. Adewale Temitope Adedeji and Hon. Hamzat Usman for comments were unsuccessful. Political observers have warned that unresolved disputes arising from the primary election could affect the APC’s internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
