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Local government

Lagos APC Empowers Women in Local Government Elections with 124 Female Candidates

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has made a significant move towards empowering women in local government elections, with 124 women councillorship and 10 chairmanship candidates securing party tickets. This endeavour has been a result of the party's deliberate steps to encourage female participation, including reducing the nomination fee for female councillorship aspirants to N250,000, one-quarter of the N1 million charged for male aspirants. Ahead of the primaries, the Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, directed local council party chairmen to prioritise female aspirants, and the party's Central Working Committee (CWC) reinforced this directive by granting concessions to female aspirants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The APC in Lagos has made a concerted effort to increase women's participation in local government elections, with 124 women councillorship and 10 chairmanship candidates securing party tickets.
  • The party reduced the nomination fee for female councillorship aspirants to N250,000, one-quarter of the N1 million charged for male aspirants, in a deliberate attempt to encourage female participation.
  • A total of 76 women chairmanship aspirants were cleared to contest, compared to 399 male counterparts, indicating a significant increase in women's participation.
  • Three incumbent female chairmen, Animasahun, Alogba, and Bada, received second-term tickets, with Animasahun and Alogba emerging through consensus.
  • President Bola Tinubu and other leaders supported the initiative, believing Lagos should set an example in promoting women's political participation.
  • The party's Central Working Committee (CWC) reinforced the directive by granting concessions to female aspirants, aimed at enhancing inclusion.
  • Women leaders within the APC visited the party secretariat to demand 30 percent affirmative action in line with the Beijing Declaration.
  • The party has prioritized female aspirants in many wards, with some allocated slots automatically going to women.

Statistics:

  • 124 women councillorship candidates secured APC tickets in Lagos State.
  • 10 chairmanship candidates secured party tickets, including Olayemi Animasahun (Epe), Motunrayo Alogba (Ijede), and Samiat Bada (Ikosi-Ketu).
  • 76 women chairmanship aspirants were cleared to contest, compared to 399 male counterparts.
  • The nomination fee for female councillorship aspirants was reduced to N250,000, one-quarter of the N1 million charged for male aspirants.
  • Three incumbent female chairmen, Animasahun, Alogba, and Bada, received second-term tickets, with Animasahun and Alogba emerging through consensus.

Sources:

  • The Nation (Source not explicitly mentioned in the original text)
  • Cornelius Ojelabi, Lagos APC chairman (letter titled 'The 2025 Local Government Councillorship Screening Result and the Party Instruction on Female Aspirants')
  • The APC in Lagos (Central Working Committee (CWC) directive)

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