The All Progressives Congress (APC) congress to elect the party’s governorship candidate for the 2023 elections is underway amidst tight security in Lagos.

Security operatives mounted heavy presence at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly known as Onikan Stadium on Lagos Island, venue of the special congress.

The security personnel were strategically positioned at various entrances and within the premises of the venue.

Several patrol vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carrier were also stationed at the access roads leading to the venue.

Some of the security agencies personnel at the venue included the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Police Bomb Squad and Private Security.

The special state congress had started with accreditation of ad hoc delegates from the 20 Local Government Areas of the state as at the time of filing this report.

Members of the electoral committee for the primary were around and delegates were moving around, expecting the voting to begin.

Speaking to NAN, Ademola Sadiq, the Chairman of the Accreditation Sub-Committee for the Governorship Primary Support Committee, said that he was impressed by the peaceful and smooth accreditation ahead of the election.

“The accreditation has been so well organised and some local government ad hoc delegates are only expecting two or delegates to be completely cleared.

“On the whole we are 1,225 delegates. Hopefully, by my estimation, we have attended to about 800 people so we are expecting just some few lo a government right now.

“In another 20 minutes we should be able to be done with accreditation,” Mr Sadiq said.

He also expressed the hope that the exercise would be successful.

“I am expecting outstanding success in the primaries. We are lucky because the number of delegates have been pruned down because of the non-signing of the Electoral Act amendment (by President Buhari Muhammadu).

“We just have 1225, so within two hours, all of them should be able to vote and we disperse,” the chairman said.

Incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is jostling for the party’s ticket alongside two other aspirants namely: Wale Oluwo, a former commissioner and ally to former governor Akinwunmi Ambode; and AbdulAhmed Mustapha, a former permanent secretary.

(NAN)