Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed into law the Local Government Administration Law 2025, which will govern the tenure, succession and disqualification of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs of the state.

The new law provides a clear legal structure for leadership succession in cases of death, resignation or political defection and firmly. It stipulates that a Vice Chairman who assumes the office of Chairman due to any such circumstance shall be considered to have served a full term, regardless of the duration.

The law is already raising critical questions about eligibility and legal compliance, particularly in two LCDAs: Agbado-Oke Odo and Ikosi-Isheri, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) continues its local government primaries

In Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA, the new law has been duly implemented after a former Vice Chairman who had previously stepped in to complete a Chairman’s tenure was disqualified from contesting again, in accordance with Section 28(4) of the law, which considers such succession a full term in office.

The current APC candidate and flag bearer in Ikosi-Isheri LCDA first served as Vice Chairman, then took over as Chairman following the death of the sitting Chairman and afterwards completed a full four-year tenure as elected Chairman.

Despite having effectively served in the role across two tenures, she has now been cleared to contest once again and was officially unveiled as the APC flag bearer at the party’s campaign flag-off held yesterday at the Lagos APC State Secretariat.

This development has raised serious legal and moral concerns, particularly among observers who are now questioning the inconsistent application of the law. They noted that if the law was used to disqualify a candidate in Agbado-Oke Odo, it should be a[[licable in Ikosi-Isheri?

Section 28(4) of the law states that, “Where the Vice-Chairman or any person takes over the office of the Chairman on the death or impeachment… such term shall be counted as a full term for the person taking over.”

By this clause, the APC flag bearer in Ikosi-Isheri, having first served as Vice Chairman for six years, completed the unexpired term of her late predecessor for another six years and then served a full tenure, should be ineligible to contest for another term. Yet, her candidacy proceeds, raising questions about due process, party integrity and legal enforcement.

Meanwhile, Section 28(3) requires the Secretary of the Local Government to promptly notify the council of any applicable disqualification conditions. Failure to do so is classified as misconduct under the law, further complicating the situation if deliberate oversight is proven.

Already, concerned stakeholders have noted that the disparity in enforcement between Agbado-Oke Odo and Ikosi-Isheri LCDAs presents a real test for Democratic governance and the rule of law in Lagos State. They argued that the sanctity of local elections and the confidence of the people in grassroots democracy may be deeply eroded if political expediency continues to override legal compliance,