The Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has threatened to lead a protest following the outcome of the recently conducted All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Lagos State.
She alleged that the electoral process was heavily manipulated to favor the party’s Justice Forum faction.
Speaking at a weekly meeting of market leaders and stakeholders held at her Alausa office in Ikeja, Tinubu-Ojo specifically contested the results declared by the Lagos APC for Mushin Federal Constituency 2, Agege Constituency 2, and Ojokoro constituencies, describing them as skewed.
The development follows the release of the official candidates list by the Lagos State chapter of the APC for the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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The list, endorsed by the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, confirmed 24 candidates for federal seats and 40 for the state legislature.
Among the cleared candidates for the Lagos State House of Assembly are Mojisola Meranda (Apapa I), Musibau Lawal (Apapa II), Barakat Bakare-Odunuga (Surulere I), and Damilola Ayinde-Marshal (Surulere II), alongside winners across the 40 constituencies.
Tinubu-Ojo called on both state and national leadership of the APC to launch an immediate investigation into the controversial primaries before the results are finalized, warning that ignoring the grievances could worsen internal friction within the ruling party.
She strongly defended the reported victories of candidates like Seye Oladejo (Mushin Constituency 2), Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo (Agege 2), and Olotu Ojo (Ojokoro), demanding that their victories remain untouched.
“We are ready to protest because of Seye Oladejo of Mushin Federal Constituency 02, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo of Agege 2 constituency, Olotu Ojo of Ojokoro constituency, because we know they won this election. Their mandate should not be given to somebody else,” she said.
The market leader cautioned that leaving the crisis unresolved could harm the party’s internal cohesion ahead of the upcoming general elections, urging party elders to step in and restore confidence among stakeholders.
She further alleged that internal party machinery is being weaponized along factional lines between the Justice Forum and the Mandate Group, a division she believes could tear the party apart before 2027.
She said, “We have to cry out now. Let APC cancel Justice and Mandate Forums. We are one family. We are for APC. Now, they are using Justice Forum and Mandate because our candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, belongs to the Justice Forum.
“Everyone is now joining the Justice Forum because they believe that is where the incoming governor belongs. Are we not Lagosians? We are all APC.
“Even when he becomes governor, he will not govern only APC members; he has to balance it. Everyone must be carried along. If you are a leader, you are leading both your friends and foes.
“I can’t understand members of Mandate Group dumping the group and joining Justice Forum. And if Mandate won the election, they would try to manipulate and put Justice Forum members there. It is saddening. It is a way of telling us that hard work does not pay in politics. Something must be done about it.”
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Despite the current friction, Tinubu-Ojo reiterated that market women across Lagos State remain fully committed to supporting the governorship ambition of Obafemi Hamzat as well as other APC candidates.
However, she maintained that the trading community deserves better recognition and direct political inclusion, emphasizing that traders are a critical voting bloc in Lagos politics who must not be sidelined in governance or political appointments.
