TheCable

There was an outbreak of violence during the ward primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least two persons in the Shogunle area of the state.

The exercise was meant for the councillorship candidates of the ruling party in the July 22 local council poll.

One of the deceased was simply identified as ‘Hamburger’, a very popular transporter in the area.

Traders, commuters and residents scuttled to safety as supporters of the deceased lynched anyone in sight. It took the intervention of security operatives for normalcy to be restored.

The identity of the other victim was unknown as of the time this report was filed.

Olarinde Famous-Cole, spokesman of the Lagos state police command, confirmed that there was an outbreak of violence in the area, but refused to go into details.

The local government primary election of the APC at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, was also disrupted by violence on Saturday.

Meanwhile, disagreements led to the postponement of the exercise in some areas.

The party had on Sunday announced that the councillorship primary in the 377 wards of its 57 local government areas would hold on Monday.

In some areas visited by NAN correspondents, the elections went on smoothly, though delegates had to wait for long awaiting arrival of electoral officers.

At ward G in Oriade local council development area (LCDA) of Lagos, Segun Lawson emerged winner of the primary election, polling 18 votes to defeat Ramon Aladega and Saidi Ayinde who got a vote each.

Twenty party members had voted at the election held at Satellite Town Primary School.

Lawson expressed joy at his election and thanked members of the party for the confidence reposed him.

“This is victory for the party and all the people of the ward,” he said.

“I thank party members for the confidence in me and I promise not disappoint them.

It was, however, an easy victory for Jamiu Abiodun in the election as he emerged unopposed as councillorship candidate of ward F in the area.

Abiodun and his supporters went in wild jubilation as soon as his candidacy was endorsed by party members at the primary.

Although the primary started several hours behind schedule, it was conducted peacefully.

Security officials manned the gate and thoroughly screened party members before voting.

Habeeb Aileru, the sole administrator of the LCDA, together with some officials were around to ensure peaceful conduct.

At ward C, Isheri- Osun in Igando/Ikotun LDCA, the election, which was scheduled to hold at 9am, did start until 3:45pm.

Gbenga Bankole, a consensus candidate, was eventually declared winner at the ward, where policemen and Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps were present to maintain order.

At Ward E, in Orile-Agege LCDA, after initial skirmishes, an electoral officer, who came to the venue at 2pm relayed the guidelines and conducted the primary election.

However, Sunday Ajayi, chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Orile-Agege LCDA, told NAN that as far as he was concerned, there was no councillorship primary in the council.

The APC primary election did not hold at Ward C, Amuwo Odofin local government area, following conflict in the register sent by the state and the one from the ward.

A chieftain of the party in the ward and former secretary of the local government, Abayomi Omisore, said APC members in the ward were not ready to entertain imposition of a candidate through whatever means.

He said also that the postponement was necessary to ensure that only the wish of the people prevailed.

According to him, all stakeholders, including Obong Okon, the divisional police officer in Amuwo Odofin, endorsed the postponement.

Omisore told NAN that the primary election would hold on Wednesday or Thursday.

Security personnel had been on ground at the ward’s secretariat located on F Close, 41 Road, Festac Town.

Seven persons are contesting for the councillorship seat in the ward.

While some members hailed the postponement, others frowned at it.

A member who pleaded anonymity said that the postponement prevented violence as some of the members of the party were ready to fight if their candidates would not win.

However, another member of the party said that he was disappointed by the postponement, adding that he had been waiting for the election.

At Ward K in Amuwo Odofin, the election took place peacefully after a long delay at the secretariat located on House 1, 11 Road, Festac Town.

At Ojo LGA, many party members were seen waiting for officials to conduct the primary when NAN visited.

Efforts to get reactions from Tokunbo Afikuyomi, chairman of the electoral committee, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached on phone.

The senator had, however, appealed to any aggrieved member to take advantage of the conflict resolution mechanisms provided by the party in the Sunday statement.