Congress: Ojelabi heads APC exco in Lagos

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, on Saturday, elected its 36 state party officials through voice votes at the party’s 2021 state congress held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
The seven-man Lagos APC State Congress Committee headed by Mr Adebayo Adelabu, the 2019 Governorship Candidate of APC in Oyo State, said that the committee received 37 forms for the 36 party positions.
Adelabu said that 35 aspirants were returned unopposed while the position of the chairman was contested by two aspirants but one of the aspirants was unsuccessful and disqualified during screening.
“Since all the aspirants were unopposed, a voice vote would be adopted for the conduct of the election.
“As regard screening, we have harmonised the list of the delegates with what we have from the national level. 1, 615 delegates across various local government will participate in the congress,” he said.
The congress chairman, who noted that the committee would ensure transparency and fairness in the conduct, said that all aspirants were on Friday screened at the Party Secretariat on Acme Road.
“The congress is yours while our job is to oversees the process and ensure that the procedures ad guidelines are strictly followed.
“Our job is to ensure transparency, objective and ensure all the guidelines from Abuja are followed.
“The success of the congress depends on your conduct and readiness to tolerate each other.
“We are happy and impressed with what we have seen so far. You have tried in terms of organisation and security,” he said.
Adelabu said that the party had complied with the all guidelines pertaining venue of the Congress, screening of all aspirants and mode of voting.
Mr Cornelius Ojelabi emerged the Chairman of the newly elected Lagos APC State Executive Council with Mr Olanrewaju Maiyegun as the deputy chairman.
Others are Sunmi Odesanya (State Secretary), Biodun Aigbe (State Treasurer), Doyin Banjo (State Financial Secretary), Adewale Ayodele (State Organising Secretary), Oluseye Oladejo (State Publicity Secretary).
Others include Kehinde Adeniyi (State Welfare Secretary), Doyin Pikudan (State Auditor), Jumoke Okoya-Thomas (State Woman Leader),Dr Muritala Seriki (State Youth Leader) among others.
In his inaugural address, Ojelabi, who commended the party hierarchy for electing him, said his team had presented themselves to serve the party and the people of Lagos State.
“All that has been achieved here today is part of the attestation of good leadership, deep thoughtfulness of our great leader, father, benefactor, mentor and pathfinder of Nigerian politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“On behalf of all new exco members, we are committed to setting our great party on higher pedestal. All hands must be on deck. This is a crucial moment in our political endeavours in the state.
“We assure the party members in Lagos State of our commitment to lead the party to greater heights. We pray that the APC and the party will continue to grow in all ramifications nationwide.
“I enjoin all party members to come up strongly for us to really take this party to the next level and compliment the efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” he said.
Ojelabi promised to reach out to all progressive aggrieved members and bring everybody on board.
He thanked the outgone executive members led by Alhaji Tunde Balogun for consolidating on the foundation laid years back.
The new APC chairman commended the state congress committee members and all delegates that that voted.
Meanwhile, there were reports of parallel APC Congresses by some agrieved groups held at different locations in Lagos on Saturday.
The Lagos4lagos Movement, an aggrieved group within Lagos APC led by Olajide Adediran elected its Deputy Apex Leader, Sunday Ajayi, as the APC state chairman at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.