•Alleges ‘Justice Forum’ hijacked results in Mushin, Agege, and Ojokoro constituencies
••Vows to lead market women on protest if “stolen mandates” are not restored to rightful winners.
The internal cohesion of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State faced a significant test on Wednesday as Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, threatened a massive protest over the outcome of the party’s recently concluded primaries.
In a move that has sent ripples through the state’s political corridors, Tinubu-Ojo alleged that the primary process was heavily manipulated to favor the “Justice Forum” bloc of the party at the expense of other loyal party members.
Speaking during a weekly meeting of market leaders and stakeholders at her office in Alausa, Ikeja, the Iyaloja-General expressed dismay over the lists published by the Lagos APC leadership, specifically targeting results from the Mushin Federal Constituency 2, Agege Constituency 2, and Ojokoro constituencies.
### Allegations of Factional Manipulation
The controversy follows Monday’s release of the official list of candidates by the Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi. The list detailed 24 candidates for the House of Representatives and 40 for the State House of Assembly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, Tinubu-Ojo claimed that the selection process was skewed to favor a specific faction, warning that such divisiveness could be the party’s undoing.
“We have to cry out now. Let APC cancel the Justice and Mandate Forums; we are one family,” she declared. “Now, they are using these factions because our candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, belongs to the Justice Forum. Everyone is jumping to that side because they believe that is where the incoming governor belongs.”
She warned that this “bandwagon effect” and the alleged suppression of the “Mandate Group” winners is creating a dangerous precedent. “If Mandate won the election and they try to manipulate it to put Justice Forum members there, it is saddening. It tells us that hard work does not pay in politics. Something must be done.”
### Specific Candidates at Risk
The Iyaloja-General was specific about the mandates she believes were stolen. She identified Hon. Seye Oladejo (Mushin Federal Constituency 02), Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo (Agege 2), and Olotu Ojo (Ojokoro) as the rightful winners whose victories must be upheld.
“We are ready to protest because we know these individuals won their elections. Their mandate should not be given to someone else,” she vowed, calling on both state and national party leadership to investigate the results before they are officially ratified.
Political analysts suggest that Tinubu-Ojo’s public outcry highlights a deepening rift within the Lagos APC as the 2027 transition draws closer. The tension between the “Justice Forum” and the “Mandate Group”—the two main pillars of Lagos APC—threatens to destabilize the party’s grassroots support base.
Tinubu-Ojo warned that if the party fails to carry everyone along, it will face a crisis of confidence.
“Even when he [the next governor] becomes governor, he will not govern only APC members; he has to balance it. If you are a leader, you lead both friends and foes,” she remarked.
### Market Women as a Political Force
While reaffirming the commitment of Lagos market women to support the governorship ambition of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and other APC candidates, she sent a clear message that their loyalty should not be taken for granted.
She insisted that traders remain a critical constituency in Lagos politics and demanded greater recognition and political inclusion in governance and appointments.
“Traders must not be sidelined. We are the backbone of the economy and the grassroot voters. We deserve a seat at the table,” she concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State APC Secretariat has yet to issue an official response to the allegations of manipulation or the threat of protest by the President’s daughter.
