By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that the screening of all aspirants vying for chairmanship and councillorship positions in the forthcoming local government elections will commence on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
According to a statement signed by Dr. Adeola Jokomba, a member of the party’s screening committee, the exercise will begin at 9:00 a.m. across designated centres. Aspirants will be screened based on their respective Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), with specific schedules to be communicated beforehand.
The screening is a critical part of the APC’s internal democratic process to ensure that only credible and qualified candidates emerge for the party’s primary elections.
All aspirants are required to present the following documents at the screening venue:
One copy of their bank draft (as proof of payment for nomination forms)
Two copies of their completed nomination forms
A WAEC scratch card for the verification of their academic results
Meanwhile, the decision of the APC to include the provision of a WAEC scratch card for the authentication of secondary school certificates has received widespread commendation from party members and concerned citizens across Lagos State. Many described the move as a necessary step toward safeguarding the quality of leadership at the grassroots level.
Speaking with reporters, some party members noted that allowing individuals without a minimum of secondary education to occupy key local government positions would pose a significant risk to good governance and efficient administration.
“It would be dangerous to the political system and local development if an illiterate, who has not even attended secondary school, becomes a councillor or chairman,” one concerned citizen said. “This step by the APC shows a commitment to raising the standard of leadership at the grassroots.”
Local government administration is widely regarded as the closest tier of government to the people, and competent leadership at that level is seen as essential to effective service delivery, infrastructural development, and community empowerment.
The APC leadership has reiterated that the screening process will be thorough, transparent, and merit-based, reflecting the party’s commitment to strengthening internal democracy and promoting qualified candidates who can drive development initiatives at the local level.
This screening exercise comes as part of broader efforts by the APC to consolidate its dominance in local councils ahead of subsequent state and national elections.
