Leadership turmoil has engulfed the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after members of the State Executive Committee accused Chairman King Okuneye of manipulating primary election results. The allegations emerged during a press briefing in Ikeja on Tuesday evening, led by Deputy Chairman Akinwande Osikominu and attended by several exco members, including Vice Chairman Betty Nwadike, Publicity Secretary Olushile Akinyemi, and Treasurer John Mabayomije. Osikominu claimed Okuneye operated without transparency, made unilateral decisions, and altered agreed-upon election reports.
A key point of contention was the alleged creation of a parallel election committee by the national leadership, which the State Exco said it was not informed about until vote collation began. Osikominu described the secrecy as humiliating and damaging to internal trust. He also accused Okuneye of residing outside Lagos for several years, creating a leadership vacuum that has weakened grassroots coordination. According to him, this absence has disrupted engagement with party structures across the state.
Osikominu further alleged that Okuneye failed to publish an official list of local government executives, leading to multiple individuals claiming leadership roles in various councils. Financial impropriety claims included party funds being paid into personal accounts, lack of audits, and the treasurer being rendered inactive. Aspirants, he said, reported being forced to pay exorbitant sums to influence outcomes or access party processes. He also claimed the party secretariat has been abandoned, with official activities now held in hotels and business centres.
Despite the accusations, Osikominu affirmed the exco's loyalty to the NDC's national leadership. Pastor Emmanuel Okibie, the party's chairman in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, raised concerns over attempts to undermine the House of Representatives primary result in his constituency. A source close to Okuneye, speaking anonymously, dismissed all allegations as baseless, insisting the chairman had performed his duties diligently and denied claims of result tampering, financial diversion, or high-handedness.
King Okuneye is accused of running the Lagos NDC from outside Lagos while allegedly diverting funds and altering primary results without consultation. His prolonged absence and the parallel election committee's secret formation undermine claims of internal democracy. If primary results can be changed unilaterally, aspirants and voters in Lagos have no real stake in the process. The party's credibility ahead of upcoming elections now rests on a leadership structure in open disarray.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
