The Lagos State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled Ganiyu Egunjobi, the former chairman of Agege Local Government, and Azeez Yusuf, a past aspirant for Agege Constituency II. This action comes after both men joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Cornelius Ojelabi, the state APC Chairman, shared the news of their expulsion on his Facebook page on Wednesday. He accused Egunjobi and Yusuf of being disloyal and engaging in anti-party activities.
Both Egunjobi and Yusuf ran for the APC primaries for Agege Constituencies I and II but did not win the party's tickets. They later accepted tickets from APM.
Days before their expulsion, the two defended their choice to leave the APC. They claimed that their defection was a personal decision due to what they called "grave injustice" in how the party managed the primaries.
Ojelabi stated that the two did not respect the results of the APC's internal processes after losing the primaries. He said, "The Lagos APC views this conduct as a clear repudiation of the obligations of party membership and an unacceptable act of anti-party activity and disloyalty."
He added that their resignations from the APC were "nothing more than a belated and face-saving attempt to pre-empt the consequences of their actions."
"The party’s position is that membership of the APC cannot be treated as a convenient political garment to be worn during a primary and discarded immediately after an unsuccessful outcome," Ojelabi noted.
The chairman emphasized that the APC operates under rules and constitutional responsibilities. He said that members who do not win internal elections should accept the results or seek proper ways to address their grievances.
"A member who loses an internal contest is expected to accept the outcome or pursue legitimate avenues of redress provided by the party and the law, not to undermine the party by seeking an alternative platform within the same electoral cycle," Ojelabi said.
He mentioned that the APC had acted according to Article 9(5)(II) of the APC Constitution, as amended in 2022, which allows for disciplinary actions against members.
Ojelabi pointed out that this decision is important for the upcoming 2026 elections. He reminded everyone that political parties and their members must follow the Electoral Act 2026 and the rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He added, "Consequently, neither individual has the authority to speak for, represent, negotiate on behalf of, or otherwise transact any business with any person, organization, or institution in the name of the Lagos State APC or the All Progressives Congress."
The chairman urged APC members, supporters, and the public to note the new status of Egunjobi and Yusuf. He asked them not to deal with either of them as representatives of the party.
The expulsion followed their move to the APM, where they became candidates for the Agege State Constituencies I and II.
On September 18, PUNCH Online reported that Egunjobi and Yusuf denied that their switch was connected to Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudasiru Obasa.
They stated, "For the avoidance of doubt, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa had no hand whatsoever in our decision to leave the APC and contest under the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). The decision was entirely ours and was taken independently after careful consideration of our experiences within the party."
They also mentioned that they stayed with the APC despite political issues but chose to leave due to what they called "grave injustice" and the party leadership's failure to reconcile after the disputed primaries.
The duo expressed their disappointment that the party leadership did not invite them for reconciliation or offer solutions to their complaints after they submitted petitions.
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