Return to APC, monarchs urge ex-Lagos LG chair

Traditional rulers in Agege and Orile-Agege, Lagos State, have appealed to former Agege Local Government chairman, Ganiyu Egunjobi, and Azeez Yusuf to reconsider their defection from the All Progressives Congress and return to the party.

They made the appeal at a peace meeting held on Sunday to address concerns over the political developments in the area ahead of the 2027 elections.

The meeting followed the defection of Egunjobi and Yusuf from the APC to the Allied Peoples Movement, where they emerged as candidates for the Lagos State House of Assembly seats in Agege Constituencies I and II respectively.

The stakeholders comprised traditional rulers, representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Muslim clerics and members of the Arewa community.

The Alaige of Orile-Agege, Oba Ambaliu Agbeleyi, said reports of possible violence arising from the political situation prompted the meeting.

The monarch, who said he had been on the throne for 14 years, said his priority remained the peace, stability and development of the community.

“We want peace and progress in our community. When I heard that there will be bloodshed in the coming election, I cannot fold my arms and watch without doing anything,” he said.

Agbeleyi appealed to Egunjobi and Yusuf to reconsider their positions and return to the APC, urging them to preserve the peace that had prevailed during their years in office.

The Olu of Agege, Oba Oyedeji Kamila Ishiba, also urged the politicians and their supporters to shun confrontation.

“We don’t want fight or rancour in our communities. Promotion is of God. We don’t pray for commotion in our communities. We want you to work on achieving peace and stability,” he said.

The Baale of Dopemu, High Chief Shuaib Ajayi, called on stakeholders to uphold truth and support the efforts of religious and community leaders to maintain peace.

The Chairman of CAN in Orile-Agege, Apostle J.B. Olubode, said religious leaders would continue to pray for the peace and progress of the APC and the community.

The Chief Imam of Dopemu, Alhaji Sulaiman, urged party leaders to intervene in the political disagreement and prevail on their members to avoid actions capable of triggering violence.

He said political positions were temporary and should not result in loss of life.

“I am for the community. I stand for peaceful coexistence in Agege constituency,” he said, adding: “I appeal to party leaders. They are at the centre of this. They have the strength to call to order their members.”

The CAN Coordinator in Agege Local Government Area, Pastor Bayo Jesuniyi, said the religious community was primarily concerned about peace and continued development in Agege.

He urged political leaders to embrace tolerance and avoid actions capable of undermining peaceful coexistence.

• 2027: Atiku, ADC to amend suit challenging Tinubu’s eligibility
• Hamzat clarifies ‘Lagos traffic as lifestyle’ comment amid backlash
• Tinubu won’t lose South-West in 2027 — Ex-senator

“We are not going to war. We are going to vote come January 16 to further the development. Let us align with the wishes of our leaders and avoid conflict,” Jesuniyi said.

However, the State House of Assembly election is scheduled for February 6, 2027, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s revised timetable. January 16, 2027, is the date fixed for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Responding, Egunjobi, who is the APM House of Assembly candidate, said he was unaware of the meeting until he was invited by one of the clerics.

Egunjobi, who described the period as politically sensitive, called on the APC leadership to act fairly and pursue reconciliation.

He claimed he won the party’s primary election but that the party subsequently settled for another candidate, arguing that the development should have been followed by a reconciliation process.

The APC had previously said Egunjobi and Yusuf failed to secure its tickets before obtaining nominations from the APM. The Lagos State chapter subsequently announced their expulsion from the APC over alleged anti-party activities and disloyalty.

Egunjobi said, “When you know that a candidate would be selected, you won’t tell us to go to the field. If I am relieved of my winning, the party should deem it fit to invite us to a meeting.”

According to him, the APC leadership had not reached out to him for reconciliation since the disputed primary, adding that he expected party leaders to convene a meeting involving the contending groups.

Egunjobi also said he and his supporters had considered going to court over the matter but were prevailed upon by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, not to do so.

He said, “Before the issue degenerated into this, the leadership of the party in the state led by Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi did not deem it fit to intervene by inviting us to a reconciliatory meeting. They didn’t reach out to us. Not even Mr Speaker. Let us fear God.”

Egunjobi said his decision to leave the APC was not without precedent, recalling a similar political development involving APC Chairman, Hon. Ojelabi, who was then chairman of Ojo Local Government Area in 1999.

He said, “In 1999, when he wasn’t returned, he left the AD for the PDP. Then President Bola Tinubu was governor of Lagos State.

“We were calm and law-abiding, but the party failed to do what was expected. We own our community, and nobody can dictate to us what to do.”

He added that he had initially not intended to contest for the Lagos State House of Assembly but was persuaded to do so.

Egunjobi, however, commended the convener of the peace meeting and assured residents that the political disagreements would not lead to violence in the community.

“I commend the convener of this peace meeting. The convener wants peace and progress of the community. By the grace of God, there won’t be war in the community. I can only speak for myself; I assure you there won’t be war,” he said.