Heightened security was observed at the Lagos State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday as the party prepared to unveil its candidates for the upcoming July 12 local government elections.
The elections will cover the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas.
The APC’s Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, confirmed in a brief statement that the event would also serve as the official flag-off of the party’s campaign ahead of the highly anticipated polls.
The ceremony is being held at the party headquarters in Ogba, amid ongoing efforts to unify the party following internal disputes that trailed the May 10 primaries.
Punch reports that the primary election process triggered discontent among some APC members and aspirants for both chairmanship and councillorship positions.
Protests followed, with accusations that party stakeholders imposed candidates, undermining internal democracy.
To address these grievances, the APC inaugurated a reconciliation committee in June to mediate disputes and restore party cohesion in the lead-up to the election.
On Monday, a Punch correspondent noted the presence of a police van and armed officers stationed at the entrance of the secretariat, reflecting the party’s concern about maintaining order as tensions linger.
Meanwhile, the APC chairmanship candidate for Epe LG, and the incumbent council boss, Princess Surah Animashaun, has issued a call for peace and party unity.
In a statement obtained on Monday, she urged disaffected members to put aside their differences for the sake of electoral success.
“I was there, but there was no problem, the primary was held. It is normal for people to be aggrieved, but there was nowhere a candidate was imposed or shortchanged,” Animashaun said.
She defended the integrity of the primary, stressing that it followed due process as laid out in the APC’s constitution.
“There are two ways in our party constitution, it states that it is either a direct or indirect primary. What happened on that day was a direct primary, that is by voting and all aspirants were there and the delegates voted for their choice of candidates, and it was announced before the people.”
Seeking a second term, Animashaun said her candidacy is rooted in a commitment to uplift youths and women and foster inclusive governance in Epe.
“I know my people, I know the problem of the people and I know how to handle it. I am a grassroots person and I know that with the support of the leaders, the right things will be done.”
She emphasized that community engagement would remain central to her leadership approach.
“Before any decision is taken, or any project is executed, I will call everybody, bring it on board and discuss it with them, then take it back to my executive for execution, so that the pulse of the people will be properly felt and they are all involved.”
The incumbent concluded by pledging that her administration, if re-elected, would prioritize the welfare of residents, guided by a clear understanding of their needs.
“Before you deal with any problem, you must first have a good understanding of it.”
