Lagos Commissioner Hospitalised After Bloody APC Primary Clash

IKEJA — A high-stakes peace meeting aimed at resolving internal party disputes degenerated into a bloodbath in the Alimosho Local Government Area, leaving a sitting Lagos State Commissioner critically injured and hospitalised.

​Hon. Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, the Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, was reportedly targeted and severely hacked by suspected political thugs during a tense All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ gathering on Monday.

​Popularly known as “AB Ajigbotafe,” the commissioner sustained deep machete wounds during the melee and suffered massive blood loss. Medical sources confirmed he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where emergency personnel administered multiple blood transfusions to stabilise his condition.

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​Genesis of the Crisis

​The violence stems from unresolved hostilities surrounding Saturday’s volatile APC House of Representatives primary election for the Lagos West senatorial district.

​The initial contest had already been marred by chaos when armed men disrupted the voting venues with sporadic gunfire, forcing party members to flee for safety. The primary primarily pitted supporters of Olabisi Adebajo (popularly known as ABISCO), the former chairperson of the Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA), against loyalists of the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Ganiyu Ayuba.

​Insiders revealed that Monday’s meeting was convened as a truce session to mediate the fallout. However, existing friction escalated rapidly because Ajigbotafe was perceived to be aligned with one of the competing factions.

​“The assassination attempt on the Honourable Commissioner was unsuccessful; however, he sustained serious injuries, his vehicle was heavily damaged, and his security personnel were severely wounded,” a party stakeholder disclosed in an internal briefing.

​Backlash and Calls for Reform

​The incident has sent shockwaves through the Lagos APC hierarchy, particularly within Alimosho—historically considered one of the party’s most vital political organizational strongholds in the state. Traditional rulers and local stakeholders have reportedly stormed the party secretariat to demand accountability.

​In a strongly worded petition addressed to regional leaders, Debo Awosheye, a certified protection officer and concerned party stalwart, condemned the culture of thuggery plaguing local administrative structures.

​“These incidents are completely unacceptable and capable of damaging the unity, reputation, and democratic values of our party,” Awosheye warned. “No political ambition or disagreement should ever justify violence, intimidation, harassment, or physical threats against party members.”

​Other party faithful have echoed these sentiments, labeling the public assault on a state executive member as a “barbaric” escalation that demands immediate police intervention, thorough investigation, and subsequent prosecution of the intellectual authors of the violence.