A coalition of political stakeholders in Alimosho, Lagos State, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of overturning the outcome of its House of Representatives primary election by allegedly replacing the declared winner with another aspirant who secured far fewer votes.
The group, operating under the name Voice of Alimosho, made the allegation during a press briefing held on Wednesday in Idimu, Ikotun area of Lagos State. Addressing journalists on behalf of the coalition, Umunakwe Princess said the party had allegedly removed Hon. Ife Salako, who they claimed won the primary election with 634 votes, and replaced him without any official explanation.
The coalition called on the leadership of the NDC to immediately restore Salako as the party’s candidate for Alimosho Federal Constituency, arguing that any attempt to substitute him amounted to a violation of internal party democracy and the mandate given by party members.
According to the group, the dispute is not about personalities but about protecting the integrity of the votes cast during the primary election.
“We want to bring national attention to what is happening with the Alimosho Federal Constituency NDC candidacy, where we believe the mandate freely given to Hon. Ife Salako is being taken away from him,” the group said.
“It is not about fighting anybody. It is not about insulting anybody. It is not about personal hatred. It is about democracy. It is about the votes. It is about the people.”
The stakeholders alleged that the primary election results available to them showed that Salako polled 634 votes, while the aspirant currently being presented by the party allegedly received only six votes.
“We ask a very simple question: How does a candidate who received 634 votes suddenly lose his mandate to a candidate who received six votes?” the coalition asked.
“If the primary election was conducted to allow party members and delegates to choose their candidate, then why conduct the primary in the first place if the outcome can simply be changed afterwards? Where is the democracy in this?”
The coalition further argued that Salako had been actively involved in grassroots politics in Alimosho long before the emergence of the NDC. Members recalled his participation in the Labour Party movement during the 2023 general elections and claimed that he remained committed to local political structures even after the transition to the NDC.
According to them, Salako contributed financially to the upkeep of the local government party secretariat from the Labour Party era through its transition into the NDC. They also alleged that he supported polling unit mobilisation, funded party agents during elections and provided scholarships and other forms of assistance to residents.
“For many of us, this is about a relationship that has existed for years. He has worked with the grassroots, invested in the community and built relationships across Alimosho,” the group said.
Rejecting what it described as “candidate imposition,” the coalition insisted that the original outcome of the primary election must be respected.
“We do not want an imposed candidate. We want the candidate chosen through the primary process to be allowed to represent the party,” it said.
The group cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association, and argued that internal party democracy should not render the votes of members meaningless.
“A primary election should mean something. A vote should mean something. A mandate should mean something,” the statement added.
The coalition also appealed to the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, referencing his repeated public calls for electoral integrity and the sanctity of votes. It asked whether the same principle should not apply within political parties.
“Mr Peter Obi, we respectfully ask: If our votes must count in the general election, shouldn’t the votes of party members also count during a party primary?” the group said.
“If 634 people voted for Ife Salako, those 634 votes cannot simply be treated as though they never happened.”
The stakeholders equally called on NDC National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, to intervene in the matter, noting that he had previously spoken against the imposition of candidates and in favour of transparent primary elections.
While stressing that they were not making criminal allegations against any individual, the group demanded an independent and transparent explanation from the party leadership. It asked the NDC to publish the certified primary election results, identify who authorised the alleged substitution, state the constitutional basis for the decision and clarify what became of the votes cast by delegates.
“We are not threatening anybody, and we are not calling for violence,” the coalition said. “We are simply saying that we will not pretend that everything is normal when we believe the mandate of the people has been disregarded.”
Reaffirming its position, the group declared: “Ife Salako or nothing,” and urged the party leadership to review the primary election records, listen to grassroots members and restore what it described as the authentic mandate of the delegates.
