APC PRIMARIES; KOWA CONCERNS AND THE ROLE OF LASIEC.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State held it’s primaries for the forthcoming Local Government Elections in Lagos state and that the event turned violent is not news anymore. The question to ask now is what next?
The election was initially meant to be conducted via votes using the open-secret ballot system as was evidenced by the voting booths at the venue, however the party in it’s wisdom decided at some point decided to abandon that for the voice votes system. How APC conduct its internal democracy is not really our business as an opposition party but we are very interested in the results of the elections and its effects on the conduct of the forthcoming elections. We wonder what report the LASIEC officials present at the event would take back to the commission. Would LASIEC report that candidates were duly elected/selected by the party for the elections when evidence abounds that that is not so? Would the report indicate that the event was conducted freely and fairly when even members of the party viciously attacked each other?
LASIEC had made it clear at various times that it would not tolerate factions within parties and violence during any part of the events and proceedings leading to the elections. Would APC be the exception to the rule? Would LASIEC allow the party to field its selected/elected candidates on the 22nd of July? These are many more are questions begging to be answered.
A major take away for KOWA Lagos and we believe for other parties (including the APC) and the general public is that it is difficult to force the will of one man or a group of people on a larger majority for long. At some point the majority would revolt. Maybe, just maybe, it is time for APC to listen to the voice of Lagosians who are saying “NO MORE BABA SOPE!”
Signed:
Victor Terhemba
Actg PRO, KOWA Party Lagos state.