Members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, on Tuesday protested the alleged imposition of candidates for the July 12 local government election.

A similar protest erupted at a party stakeholders’ meeting on April 14 in the same area, ending the meeting abruptly.

During Tuesday’s protest, supporters of some chairmanship aspirants in the LCDA gathered at the party secretariat, from where they marched to the council secretariat to express their grievances.

Some protesters chanted, “He is not part of us, no room from strangers in our LCDA”, “Elders and leaders are to build things and not destroy“, and “We want an indigenous leader to lead us, not a stranger”.

Others threw their fists in the air, chanting: “Don’t sell Ojokoro to strangers”, “Don’t give us a stranger,” and “We want people from within, not outsiders”.

Also, protesters carried placards with various inscriptions such as “We don’t want it, we don’t like it, strangers cannot lead us”, “Hon. Ojelabi, the APC chairman, save APC Ojokoro, “No imposition, Obasa is forcing on us, and “We demand free and fair process”.

Speaking with journalists, Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye, one of the protest’s leaders, said the party leaders should not ratify any imposed candidate.

Mr Akinoso-Olawaye said: “Don’t place a leader on people. Let all the aspirants go to the field in a free and fair primary. We are not for violence at all; we are APC members, and we will not allow imposition.

“We are here to reject imposition. All aspirants deserve a fair contest to prove their political relevance. It is not fair to impose leaders on people. Our leaders should not push party members to the wall.”

Another protest leader, Raimot Bello, said the protest was to prevent the installation of an unfamiliar figure as the next council chairman, saying that would not augur well for the party.

The chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Hammed Tijani, commended the protesters for being peaceful, assuring that no one would be imposed on the party.

“We are all APC members, and the party shall not be destroyed. I want to assure you, there is nothing like imposition; we have a lot of things we are sorting out now,” Mr Tijani said.

The APC chairman in the council, Jelili Oseni, said:” Ojokoro will not turn into violence. Those who have worked for the party will be rewarded. There is no imposition here.”

Party leaders and stakeholders were meeting at the council secretariat when the protesters arrived.

(NAN)