Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and daughter of President Bola Tinubu, has threatened to mobilise a protest over the outcome of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Lagos State, accusing the party leadership of manipulating results in favour of the Justice Forum faction. Speaking during a weekly meeting of market leaders and stakeholders at her office in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, she raised serious concerns about the credibility of the primaries, particularly in Mushin Federal Constituency II, Agege Constituency II, and Ojokoro Constituency. She insisted that the declared winners did not reflect the actual votes cast, calling for an urgent investigation before the results are finalised.
The Lagos State APC had released its list of winners on Monday, announcing 24 candidates for House of Representatives seats and 40 for the Lagos State House of Assembly. Among those named were Mojisola Meranda for Apapa I, Musibau Lawal for Apapa II, Barakat Bakare-Odunuga for Surulere I, and Damilola Ayinde-Marshall for Surulere II. The list, signed by Lagos State APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, was presented as the official outcome of the party’s internal elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo challenged these results, citing specific cases where she believes legitimate winners were denied their mandates. She named Hon. Seye Oladejo in Mushin Constituency II, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo in Agege II, and Olotu Ojo in Ojokoro Constituency as aspirants who she claims won the primaries but were sidelined. “We are ready to protest because of Seye Oladejo of Mushin Federal Constituency 02, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo of Agege 2 constituency, Olotu Ojo of Ojokoro constituency, because we know they won this election. Their mandate should not be given to somebody else,” she declared.
She also expressed deep concern over the growing rivalry between the Justice Forum and Mandate Group factions within the APC, warning that such divisions could undermine party unity ahead of the 2027 governorship and general elections. “We have to cry out now. Let APC cancel Justice and Mandate Forums. We are one family. We are for APC,” she said, urging party leaders to foster inclusivity. She emphasized that Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who belongs to the Justice Forum, must govern for all Lagosians, not just factional supporters.
Tinubu-Ojo lamented the shifting loyalties within the party, noting that members of the Mandate Group were abandoning their faction to join the Justice Forum, which she sees as a sign of political manipulation. “It is saddening. It is a way of telling us that hard work does not pay in politics. Something must be done about it,” she added. She reaffirmed the strong support of market women across Lagos for Hamzat’s governorship bid and other APC candidates, highlighting the political influence of traders and market stakeholders in the state.
She stressed that this voting bloc deserves greater inclusion in governance and political appointments, calling on leaders to ensure equitable representation. As the APC prepares for its next electoral cycle, the controversy over the primaries underscores the need for transparency and unity within the party. The outcome of these disputes could significantly impact the party’s cohesion and electoral performance in the 2027 elections.
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