APC’s Clean Sweep In Lagos LG Elections: What It Really Says About Grassroots Politics In Nigeria

By Sediq Mutari July 13, 2025

In what many observers describe as a political landslide — or perhaps business as usual — the All Progressives Congress (APC) has once again tightened its grip on Lagos State’s grassroots political machinery. The ruling party won all 20 chairmanship seats in the just-concluded local government elections and secured 375 out of 376 councillorship seats. The only dent in the APC’s near-perfect record? A single councillorship seat in Ward D, Yaba, claimed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While this result might come as no surprise to seasoned political watchers, it raises a deeper question about the state of Nigeria’s local democracy: Is Lagos truly a one-party state, or is there something systematically flawed about how we engage grassroots elections?

Lagos LG Elections: More Than Just a Routine Poll

The local government elections, held on Saturday across Lagos’s 13,325 polling units, were organized by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC). These polls are often overshadowed by national and gubernatorial elections, yet they are arguably the most critical — they determine who manages day-to-day governance in local communities, from sanitation to market regulations.

Despite the massive implications for everyday life, voter turnout was notably low — a trend that has haunted local elections for years in Nigeria. With over seven million registered voters in Lagos, the quietness at polling units was deafening. LASIEC Chairperson, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retd.), offered a curious perspective, suggesting that the speed of the voting process may have made it seem like participation was lower than it actually was. “It didn’t take him more than five minutes,” she quoted a voter as saying, insisting that turnout perceptions may be skewed.

Still, in many parts of the state, polling materials arrived late, and there were scattered reports of voter intimidation — though thankfully no widespread violence was recorded.

The Dominance of APC: Efficient Machinery or Political Monopoly?

Lagos has long been the stronghold of the APC and its predecessors, dating back to the days of the Action Congress (AC) and the Bola Tinubu-led political dynasty. Over the years, opposition parties have found it nearly impossible to penetrate the state’s political structure, particularly at the local level.

This election was no different. Out of 19 registered political parties, only 15 contested, and the APC was the only party that fielded candidates across all LGAs and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). With a powerful grassroots network, superior logistics, and incumbency advantage, the APC’s dominance has become a self-perpetuating cycle: control the local councils, control the political pipeline.

The PDP’s lone councillorship win in Yaba feels more symbolic than substantial — a reminder that opposition voices still exist, though barely.

The Real Crisis: Apathy, Not Just Dominance

Beyond the APC’s sweeping victory, the larger issue at hand is voter apathy. Why aren’t people turning out for these critical local elections? Why is there so little engagement from the youth, civil society, or even from other political parties?

Part of the answer lies in the public’s diminishing faith in electoral transparency and impact. Many Nigerians view local government elections as predetermined affairs, where outcomes are orchestrated rather than earned. With state electoral commissions often staffed by appointees of the ruling party, confidence in impartiality is low.

Another factor is the perceived irrelevance of local government in citizens’ daily lives. Years of underperformance, budget hijacking by state governments, and lack of visible development have made many view LGAs as ghost structures — bureaucracies without bite.

Conclusion: Democracy or Decoration?

The APC’s near-total victory in Lagos’s local government elections isn’t just a testament to its political strength — it’s also an indictment of the broader democratic space at the grassroots level. When only one party fields candidates in every ward, when opposition wins are seen as anomalies, and when millions stay home on election day, we’re not witnessing vibrant democracy; we’re watching a ritual on autopilot.

If Nigeria truly wants to deepen its democratic roots, attention must shift to revitalizing local governance. This means strengthening the autonomy of LGAs, rebuilding public trust, ensuring genuine multiparty competition, and — perhaps most importantly — making sure local governments matter to the people they’re meant to serve.

Until then, local elections will remain the most predictable part of Nigeria’s political theatre — not because the people have chosen, but because most didn’t even show up.