Stakeholders Urge Tinubu to Address Injustice in Somolu APC Primaries

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State has taken a new dimension as some stakeholders and party loyalists have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what they describe as an injustice in the party’s chairmanship selection process.

At the centre of the controversy is Hon. Bowale Sosimi, a grassroots politician and long-time APC loyalist, who was reportedly endorsed as the consensus candidate by the local party structure.

However, in a last-minute twist, his name was dropped in favour of another aspirant, leading to widespread anger and allegations of manipulation.

According to a statement, this is not the first time Hon. Sosimi has faced such a political setback. “In 2017, his name was similarly withdrawn from the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) list after a last-minute change to the party’s nomination process — a move allegedly orchestrated by the late Senator Bayo Osinowo. The decision eventually paved the way for Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu (Dullar), who has now completed two terms as chairman.”

“Now in 2025, many believe history is repeating itself. Stakeholders allege that Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, the APC’s election coordinator in Lagos and a close ally of President Tinubu, played a key role in truncating Sosimi’s candidacy, allegedly using religion as a political tool to justify the imposition of a different aspirant,” the statement said.

This claim has sparked backlash within the Muslim community in Somolu, particularly over a letter said to have been written by the Chief Imam of Somolu, Sheikh Boonyamin Dabiri, appealing for the selection of a Muslim candidate. However, key Muslim leaders have distanced themselves from the letter, describing it as unauthorised and not representative of the community’s position.

Chairman General of the Shomolu Muslim community, Alhaji Alabi Yunusa, said the Chief Imam acted unilaterally and has no administrative authority to speak on political matters. He emphasized that all official correspondence must be signed by both the Chairman-General and the General Secretary. Alhaji Rabiu Fatai, the General Secretary, reaffirmed this, calling the Imam’s letter an aberration.

The Iya Suna of the community,  Alhaja Nurat Lawal,  also condemned the politicisation of religion, warning that past Muslim chairmen have not delivered significant benefits to the Muslim population. She called for fairness and balance, stressing that religious bias must not determine political leadership at the grassroots.

In a joint appeal, party loyalists, community leaders, and observers are urging President Tinubu to investigate the matter, reverse the decision, and restore Hon. Sosimi’s candidacy. They also demand a review of Hon. Faleke’s role in the process, warning that failure to address the situation may deepen division and erode public trust in the APC’s internal democracy.