The All Progressives Congress (APC) has screened no fewer than 540 aspirants ahead of Saturday’s Local Government Area (LGA) Congress across the 20 LGAs in Lagos State.
Chairman of the five-man screening panel, Mr. Nungji Salama, disclosed this on Friday after a stakeholders’ meeting held in Ikeja, assuring party members of a seamless and rancour-free Congress.
Salama described the screening as fundamental to the success of the LGA Congress, noting that the committee had concluded arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise statewide.
“Today’s exercise is very germane to the success of tomorrow’s Congress,” he said. “We have successfully conducted the ward Congress without any problem. Now, we are starting the processes leading to the LGA Congress holding tomorrow.”
He commended various committees set up to support the process and thanked aspirants for offering themselves to serve the party. According to him, 27 executives are expected to emerge in each of the 20 LGAs.
Salama added that consensus arrangements would be adopted where members unanimously agree on candidates, explaining that such outcomes would be ratified by the appropriate authorities.
He also urged aspirants who may not emerge successful to remain sportsmanlike, assuring them of future opportunities within the party.
“There will be another time. I hope there will be no rancour and problems,” he said.
In his welcome address, Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, described the assignment as critical to strengthening internal democracy and consolidating the party’s structure at the grassroots.
Ojelabi thanked the national secretariat for sending officials to oversee the Congress, noting that the state chapter could not conduct the exercise because it was an interested party.
“We, as a party here, do not have the right to conduct the Congress because we are an interested party,” he said.
He urged local government leaders to deepen their understanding of the amended Electoral Act and charged successful candidates to see their emergence as a call to service rather than business as usual.
“It is a call to service for you to deepen our democracy and make an impact in strengthening and mobilising to drive our party,” he said.
The state chairman emphasised inclusive leadership, stressing the importance of youth and women participation in party activities, and called on aspirants to demonstrate capacity and readiness for responsibility.
Party leaders present at the meeting included the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, and the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro.
As of the time of filing this report, the list of screened candidates across the 20 LGAs had yet to be pasted at the party secretariat.
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