TheCable

A group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, known as the Progressives for Surulere (P4S), says the party may lose the Surulere 1 federal constituency in the house of representatives if President Bola Tinubu does not intervene.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 3 for the by-election in the constituency after Femi Gbajabiamila resigned to become Tinubu’s chief of staff.

In a statement on Thursday, Akin Jones Oladimeji, P4S secretary-general, said there is a plot to impose a candidate on the people.

Oladimeji said the move to impose a candidate is against the principles of the party.

“Everyone knows how we virtually lost both the House of Assembly and House of Reps elections in Surulere 2 Federal constituency to opposition before getting them back after onerous efforts,” he said.

“It took full blast support from Asiwaju to coalesce divided camps to work together and we only managed to win with some margin of votes.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Governor ‘s Advisory Council (GAC), former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola who is a resident of Surulere and other APC elders in Lagos State, have honourably distanced themselves from any form of manipulation in Surulere 1 APC Reps primary.

“Even President Bola Tinubu visited Surulere without dabbling into the planned primary.”

The secretary-general said “illustrious” persons from Surulere should be allowed to contest the primary election in the true spirit of democracy.