Members of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos held a protest on Monday at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex, demanding the immediate removal of the party’s state chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi.

The protesters, said to represent all 57 Local Council Development Areas across the state, assembled in Alausa, Ikeja, displaying placards with bold messages.

They expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current leadership and called for restructuring the party’s state leadership ahead of critical political developments.

A strong police presence was deployed at the venue to maintain peace and ensure the protest did not disrupt public order.

More to come…

The Social Democratic Party’s National Working Committee has expelled former Kaduna Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, from its ranks.

The SDP declared that El-Rufai is barred from associating with the party in any form for the next 30 years.

Party leaders accused El-Rufai of pretending to be a member, interfering with internal matters, and attempting to destabilise the party through unlawful tactics and misleading actions.

This decision was communicated in a statement released in Abuja on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba.

He said the party’s leadership reached the decision after a detailed investigation into El-Rufai’s claims of membership and his alleged behind-the-scenes political activities, which have caused division and threatened the party’s unity and values.

The statement said El-Rufai never completed the registration process at the ward level, as required by the party’s constitution, yet he falsely announced on social media that he had joined the SDP. He was also accused of forging documents to support this claim and taking pictures with suspended party leaders to bolster the falsehood.

It explained that the NWC, in line with the party’s constitution, values, and the Nigerian constitution, reviewed El-Rufai’s situation. Despite the state chapter of the party asserting he had not registered, El-Rufai continued presenting himself as a member while supporting other political parties.

Initially, the party said it gave El-Rufai the benefit of the doubt due to his experience as a former minister and governor, assuming he understood the consequences of misrepresentation. His social media posts had led to congratulations from party members and a support letter issued by the National Publicity Secretary upon his request.

However, after an internal review, the party confirmed he had never registered at his ward. It noted that El-Rufai invested effort into creating a false narrative, taking photos with the suspended national chairman and other leaders who assumed he had properly joined. His record as a former governor was also cited as being problematic for the SDP due to his actions against the party when he was with the APC.

The SDP further alleged that El-Rufai aligned with the African Democratic Congress and attempted to involve the SDP in a political coalition without approval.

The party said it had no choice but to completely cut ties with El-Rufai after confirming his public declaration for the ADC and actions that go against SDP values.

As a result, El-Rufai is banned from applying for membership, identifying with the SDP’s name or symbols, or participating in its activities for 30 years, starting immediately.

The SDP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and other authorities to acknowledge El-Rufai’s non-member status and said he is not permitted to act or speak for the party.

The party reiterated its commitment to democratic values, patriotism, and principled opposition, encouraging interested Nigerians to follow lawful channels to join.

It noted that El-Rufai had proposed a large-scale welcome event at the party’s Abuja headquarters, but was advised instead to register properly in his ward after passing an eligibility screening.

Instead of registering through the correct process, El-Rufai allegedly forged membership documents and assigned himself “number 001 in the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area”, ignoring existing records.

El-Rufai had recently announced he was leaving the All Progressives Congress to join the SDP, citing a conflict between his personal beliefs and the APC’s current direction.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has prohibited the 57 newly sworn-in local government chairmen from selecting Secretary to Local Governments (SLGs) and supervisory councillors.

This decision has stirred uncertainty across the councils, especially as certain individuals had been promised key roles during the election campaigns. The governor’s stance has now left those expectations unmet.

Sanwo-Olu made this announcement immediately after administering the oath of office to the newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 57 local governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The ceremony was held at the Sports Ground, Lagos House in Ikeja.

He advised them to spend the next 30 to 60 days settling in and getting acquainted with the needs of their communities.

The state government, he stated, would notify the chairmen when it is appropriate to proceed with the appointments.

Nonetheless, he encouraged them to appoint Chiefs of Staff to help coordinate daily operations.

He called on them to adopt an inclusive leadership style and place a high priority on the well-being of their constituents.

He assured them that Lagos had maintained its commitment to local government autonomy and urged the chairmen to exercise their new authority responsibly and transparently.

The governor stressed that underperformance would not be tolerated and warned that anyone who failed to uphold the public’s trust would be held to account.

He highlighted that Nigeria was now entering a new phase of local government autonomy, with fiscal and administrative independence upheld by the Supreme Court.

According to him, chairmen now have direct access to their councils’ funds, which demands direct accountability. He emphasized that there would be no room for excuses or blame-shifting.

“Use this autonomy wisely. Guard it with transparency. Let your tenure reflect not political entitlement, but public responsibility. Leadership must never be about personal gain; it must be about public impact,” he said.

He described their victory at the polls as a call to serve and lead selflessly, encouraging them to be bold, open, and answerable to those they serve.

He stated that the strength of Lagos lies in the effectiveness of its 57 local councils and encouraged the new chairmen to lead with purpose and empathy, prioritizing service over ambition.

He said: “The people have placed in your hands not just votes, but their dreams. Their expectations are clear: better roads, safer streets, functioning health centres, thriving schools, modern markets, environmental sanitation, youth engagement, and community security. These are not abstractions; they are daily necessities. And your performance will be measured not by the eloquence of your speeches, but by the visibility of your actions.”

He added that Lagos is relying on them to bring development to all parts of the state. He urged them to actualize the THEMES+ agenda of his administration in their domains. He emphasized the need to implement impactful projects in areas such as Transportation, Health, Education, Environment, Security, and Social Inclusion, ensuring that rural and underserved communities feel the presence of the government.

He stated: “Your success is our success. The state government stands firmly with you. We will support you. We will work with you. But we will also hold you to the highest standards.”

Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, noted that the emergence of the new chairmen at the polls reflected their acceptance by the people and reinforced the need to improve governance at the grassroots level.

He commended the governor for his dedication to grassroots democracy, pointing out that the administration provided the structure for a peaceful, transparent, and credible local government election.

Speaking on behalf of the new chairmen, the Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Sesan Olowa, thanked the governor and the people of Lagos for the platform to serve.

Olowa, who was later chosen as Chairman of Conference 57, pledged on behalf of his colleagues to uphold the values of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and deliver meaningful governance.

“We will uphold the values of the APC and ensure development touches every ward and community under our care,” he said.

Present at the event were Governor Sanwo-Olu’s wife, Ibijoke; Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Hamzat; members of the State Executive Council; Speaker Mudasiru Obasa and members of the State House of Assembly; National Assembly members; Governance Advisory Council led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi; APC Lagos Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi; traditional rulers; former council chairmen led by Kolade Alabi; market leaders; party loyalists and supporters of the council chairmen.