Lagos APC group petitions Buni, says election in 37 LCDAs illegal

A group identified as the Concerned APC Progressives has kicked against the upcoming election in 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) of Lagos.

The local government election in the state is scheduled to hold on July 24.

According to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), elections will be conducted for chairpersons and councillors in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs respectively.

But in a statement on Thursday, the group said the constitution recognises only 20 LGAs in Lagos state.

The group said a petition has been submitted to the APC national caretaker committee led by Mai Mala Buni, who is also the governor of Yobe state.

In the petition signed by Kabir Onaolapo and Olajide Olukogbe, the chairman and secretary, respectively, the group said fielding candidates for the 57 seats is a violation of the constitution.

“The petitioners charged that whereas Local Government elections can only be validly held in the recognised 20 Local Government Councils in Lagos State, it would amount to the total disregard of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria if the National Body of the All Progressives Party is dealing with Lagos on the grounds of 20 Local Government Councils, and the Lagos Chapter of the Party on its own volition is dealing within itself based on 57 Local Government Councils,” the statement reads.

“If this is allowed without the party at the national level taking urgent steps to correct the anomaly, it might grievously affect and undermine the existence of the political party in the state.

“They stated that if LAISEC goes ahead to conduct any Local Government election as stated on July 24, 2021, it would not only violate the core values of the Party, but also the section of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria which recognises 20 Local Government Councils for Lagos State as against the much flaunted 57 Local Government Councils.”