Political tension is brewing in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) following the controversial imposition of aspirants, Adebayo Adefuye (as chairman), son of a prominent Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) member, Baba Anthony Adefuye, and Babatunde Joseph Ojo Vice chairman ( impostion of Friday Soton, SA domestic to Mr President) as the party's flag bearers for the upcoming local government elections.
The move has triggered strong backlash from stakeholders and loyal party members who describe the decision as undemocratic, provocative, and a betrayal of grassroots principles.
In a statement issued by a coalition of concerned party stakeholders, the group condemned what they called the “unacceptable imposition” of Adefuye, a candidate they claim lacks genuine ties to the Yaba community. They noted that the development undermines internal democracy and disrespects the will of the people.
“We categorically reject this imposition and declare our unwavering resistance to it,” the statement read. “Yaba LCDA is not a political dumping ground. We will not allow the hard-won peace and democratic process of our community to be jeopardized by personal interests and political godfatherism.”
The group also accused Baba Adefuye of hypocrisy, citing his previous actions in 2019 when he reportedly blocked the candidacy of Hon. Ibrahim Ajani Owolabi in Somolu Local Government on grounds of non-resident status. Ironically, they say, he is now attempting to install his own son in Yaba—a community they claim neither father nor son has significant roots in.
Further raising eyebrows is the assertion that Adebayo Adefuye only recently secured a second-term appointment as a board member at Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (Lasubeb) and is now being positioned for a council leadership role despite questions over his residency claim. According to the group, Adefuye’s only identifiable link to Yaba is his occasional attendance at the United African Methodist Evangelical Church in Abule Ijesa Ward I.
The coalition is calling on the party national leader President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene immediately and reverse the foisting of unknown candidates, warning that failure to do so could spark serious political unrest in the area.
“Yaba LCDA deserves competent and locally rooted leadership—not candidates imposed through the back door by GAC chieftains,” they said. “We shall not be silenced. We shall not be intimidated.”
As of press time, there has been no official response from the party’s leadership or from the Adefuye camp. However, tensions continue to rise as party loyalists in Yaba vow to resist any attempt to legitimize what they describe as “political colonization.”
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