Sanwo-Olu: APC parallel congresses in Lagos are ‘mere naming ceremonies’

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the parallel congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Lagos State on Saturday as “mere naming ceremonies.”

Some aggrieved party members in Lagos held parallel congresses in the state to elect executives of the state.

The mainstream APC under the leadership of former Governor Bola Tinubu held its congress at the Onikan stadium, while the Lagos4Lagos movement led by Olajide Adeniran (Jandor), held its parallel congress at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja where Sunday Ajayi was elected as state chairman.

Supporters of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode also held a parallel congress at Baptist Academy, Obanikoro in Lagos.

But Sanwo-Olu dismissed the parallel congresses, saying the authentic congress was the one attended by card-carrying party members at the venue announced by the State Congress Committee and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s national executive committee.

“I am not aware of any other congress. Maybe because of your work, you are able to see those who are engaging in a tea party,” he told journalists.

Meanwhile, 37 anointed candidates loyal to Tinubu, were on Saturday elected unopposed as state executives of the APC in Lagos.

Former Commissioner for Rural Development, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, emerged as Lagos State chairman of APC.

Ojelabi and other 36 elected executive members of the Lagos APC were declared winners by the Chief Adebayo Adelabu-led electoral committee through voice voting.

The congress was monitored by the Adelabu-led Electoral Committee members appointed by the party’s National Caretaker Committee.

Ojelabi, a former member of House of Representatives, was elected at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, where card-carrying members of the party converged to elect officers into the party positions at the state level.

Governor Sanwo-Olu led 1,615 delegates across the state to the event held under the supervision of INEC and Electoral Committee members appointed by the party’s National Caretaker Committee in Abuja.