Crisis has erupted at the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as members of the State Executive Committee on Tuesday evening accused the State Chairman, Mr King Okuneye, of manipulating the results the party’s primaries .
The Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr Akinwande Osikominu, spoke at a news conference after an emergency meeting of some executive members in Ikeja.
Osikominu alleged that Okuneye was operating the party without transparency and made important decisions without involving other members.
According to him, the chairman’s actions have deepened division within the party , threatening its chances in future elections.
He alleged that the crisis reached its climax during the conduct of the party’s primaries.
Osikominu claimed that members were informed about the existence of a parallel election committee allegedly set up by the national leadership.
“Most embarrassingly, the State Exco was kept completely in the dark about the establishment of any parallel election committee by the National Body.
“We only learned of its existence during collation.
“This level of secrecy and exclusion sidelined the entire Executive Committee, leaving us humiliated and eroding trust in the leadership,” he said.
The deputy chairman further accused of undermining collective decisions reached by party leaders.
“The Chairman stands accused of unilaterally altering election reports and results that were previously agreed upon through collaborative processes.
“This breach has further fractured internal cohesion and deepened the sense of exclusion felt by the State Exco.
“We are convinced that these persistent issues will make it extremely difficult for the NDC to mount any meaningful challenge in forthcoming elections unless urgently addressed,” he said.
The deputy chairman raised concerns over what it called the chairman’s prolonged absence from Lagos,saying it had caused a leadership vacuum.
According to him, effective leadership requires physical presence and regular engagement with party structures across the state.
“King Okuneye has been resident outside Lagos State for several years.
“This prolonged physical absence has created a significant operational disconnect, impairing his ability to understand and respond to the unique dynamics, challenges and opportunities in Lagos.
“The resulting leadership vacuum continues to weaken grassroots coordination and threatens the party’s overall viability in the state,” he added.
He also accused the chairman of allegedly failing to constitute and publish the “authentic list”of local government executives.
The deputy chairman said the development had created confusion, with multiple individuals laying claim to leadership positions across several councils.
On alleged financial irregularities in the management of party resources, Osikominu claimed that party funds were paid into personal accounts without proper accountability.
“Multiple aspirants have lodged consistent and verifiable complaints about exorbitant demands for funds to influence outcomes, secure favourable reports or gain access to party processes.
“Party funds are routinely channelled into the Chairman’s personal accounts and other unofficial channels, with zero disclosure, no audits and no accountability.
“The state treasurer has been rendered completely redundant since inauguration, with no visibility into inflows or outflows,” he said.
He also claimed that the state secretariat had been largely abandoned, alleging that official party activities were being conducted in hotels, lounges and business centres instead of the secretariat.
Despite the allegations, Osikominu reaffirmed the exco’s loyalty to the party’s national leadership.
He urged the National Executive Committee to investigate the complaints and restore transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in the Lagos chapter.
Also speaking, Mr Oluwanifemi Elegbede, the NDC State Youth Leader called on the national leadership of the party no to sleep on the party’s state of affairs in the state.
Also, Mrs Juliet Ojudu, the State Welfare Officer, said that if the party was interested in winning elections in 2027, the results of the primaries elections should not be tampered with by any tendency.
“Many party members across the state are unhappy with the situation. What we are witnessing is generating frustration and discontent among loyal members who have worked hard to build the party,” Ojudu said.
Pastor Emmanuel Okibie, Chairman of the NDC in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, expressed concern over alleged attempts to undermine the outcome of the party’s House of Representatives primary election in the constitiency.
“It is painful that after all the effort we put into strengthening the party and identifying a candidate capable of winning the election, there are attempts to undermine the outcome of a process that was transparently conducted.
“What we reject is any attempt to impose a candidate who lacks the support of the grassroots.
“Our efforts should not be rendered meaningless by attempts to impose individuals who did not emerge through a credible process,” Okibie said.
Other state executive committee members present at the news conference include: Betty Nwadike (Vice Chairman, Centra), Olushile Akinyemi (Publicity Secretary), Chioma Ifeanyichukwu (Assistant Welfare Secretary), John Mabayomije (Treasurer), and Osita Odobor (Assistant Treasurer).
Others are Mrs Jaiyeola Taiwo (Woman Leader) as well as some ex-officio members, local government council chairmen, aspirants and some members.
All efforts to reach Okuneye for reaction to the allegations at the time of filing this report proved abortive as he neither took his calls nor responded to questions sent to his mobile number.
However, a party source close to the chairman,who pleaded anonymity,told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)that all the allegations raised against the chairman were baseless.
According to him, Okuneye has discharged his duties well as chairman of the party.
“All the allegations are baseless.The chairman has been up and doing in the discharge of his duties. All those things about results manipulation,high-handedness and diversion of funds are pure lies.
“This is what happens when things do not go in the way of people: they wanted certain people to emerge at the primaries but party members decided otherwise.They are just losers.
“They are a bunch of selfish, disloyal people who are bent on creating unnecessary problems in the party,” the source told NAN
