LAGOS — Traditional rulers, religious leaders and political stakeholders in Orile-Agege and Agege Local Government Areas of Lagos State have appealed to former council chairman Ganiyu Egunjobi and Azeez Yusuf to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging them to prioritise peace and reconciliation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appeal was made at a peace meeting held on Sunday in Orile-Agege, following concerns over reports of possible violence linked to political disagreements in the area.
The stakeholders called on the two politicians, who recently defected from the APC to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), to reconsider their decisions and work towards preserving peace and stability in their communities.
The Alaige of Orile-Agege, Oba Ambaliu Agbedeyi, said reports of a possible breakdown of peace prompted him to support efforts to bring the contending parties together.
The traditional ruler said his priority was the peace, stability and development of the community, warning that failing to intervene could have serious consequences.
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“We want peace and progress in our community. When I heard that there will be bloodshed, I cannot fold my arms and watch.
“If we sit idle and do not intervene, and it comes to pass, we will be blamed for it,” he said.
Agbedeyi appealed to Egunjobi and Yusuf to reconsider their political positions and avoid actions that could threaten the relative peace in the area.
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Similarly, the Olu of Agege, Oba Oyedeji Kamila Ishiba, urged politicians and their supporters to shun confrontation, stressing the need for peace and stability within the party and the wider community.
“We don’t want fight or rancour in our communities. Promotion is of God. We don’t pray for commotion in our communities.
“We want you to work on achieving peace and stability in your party and the community,” he said.
The Baale of Dopemu, Chief Shuaib Ajayi, also called on political stakeholders to uphold truth and sustain efforts towards peaceful coexistence.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Orile-Agege Chapter, Apostle Babajide Ajibode, said religious leaders would continue to pray for peace and progress in the party and the community.
“The party has spoken and we must align with the position of the party. Some weeks back, the party invited us to a prayer meeting.
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“I am not a politician but, as a clergyman, we will continue to pray for the peace and progress of the party,” he said.
The Chief Imam of Dopemu, Alhaji Olawale Sulaiman, urged party leaders to intervene in the dispute and prevent developments capable of triggering violence.
Sulaiman said political ambitions and positions were temporary and should never become a reason for the loss of lives.
“Seeking positions only has meaning in this world. It is a thing of this world and only useful as long as we breathe.
“If we are fighting over these intangible things and lives are lost, history will never forget the person behind the event,” he said.
Egunjobi Cites Unresolved APC Primary Dispute
Speaking at the meeting, Egunjobi said he was unaware of the gathering until he received an invitation from one of the clerics.
The former council chairman explained that the dispute over the APC primary elections had contributed to his decision to leave the party, alleging that he won the primary but was subsequently denied the party’s ticket.
He said the party should have initiated a reconciliation process after the disputed exercise, rather than allowing the disagreement to escalate.
“When you know that a candidate would be selected, you won’t tell us to go to the field.
“If I am relieved of my winning, the party should deem it fit to invite us to a meeting,” he said.
Egunjobi claimed that the APC leadership had not reached out to him or his supporters to resolve the dispute, adding that he had expected party leaders to convene a meeting involving all the contending groups.
He also disclosed that he and his supporters had considered seeking legal redress but were persuaded against going to court by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.
According to him, the state APC leadership, led by Cornelius Ojelabi, failed to intervene when the disagreement could still have been resolved through dialogue.
“Before the issue degenerated into this, the leadership of the state APC led by Cornelius Ojelabi did not deem it fit to intervene. Not even Mr Speaker. Let us fear God,” he said.
Egunjobi also recalled a similar political development involving Ojelabi in 1999, alleging that the APC state chairman had left the Alliance for Democracy (AD) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after failing to retain his Ojo council chairmanship.
He maintained that he and his supporters had remained calm and law-abiding despite their grievances, while explaining that he had initially not intended to contest the Lagos State House of Assembly election but was later persuaded to do so.
Despite his criticisms of the party’s handling of the primary dispute, Egunjobi commended the convener of the peace meeting and assured residents that the disagreement would not lead to violence.
He said he remained committed to maintaining peace in the community.
APM Candidates for Agege Constituencies
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Egunjobi is seeking election to represent Agege Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly under the APM, while Yusuf, popularly known as Ninolowo, is contesting for the Agege Constituency II seat on the same platform.
The two politicians recently defected from the APC to the APM after failing to secure the ruling party’s tickets in the disputed primaries. They subsequently obtained the APM nominations for the 2027 Lagos Assembly elections.
Their defection and the disagreement over the APC primaries have generated political tension in Agege, with the peace meeting providing an opportunity for traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to call for reconciliation.
The stakeholders urged the politicians and their supporters to resolve their differences through dialogue and ensure that political activities ahead of the 2027 elections do not disrupt peace and security in the area.
