Questions as Lagos loses 5 female council officials in 2 months

In Lagos State, the grassroots political climate appears gloomy as not less than five female politicians who won among the 114 female councilorship and 10 chairmanship candidates that participated in the local government election held on July 12 have died within two months after they were inaugurated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on July 27. The […]

In Lagos State, the grassroots political climate appears gloomy as not less than five female politicians who won among the 114 female councilorship and 10 chairmanship candidates that participated in the local government election held on July 12 have died within two months after they were inaugurated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on July 27.

The news of their deaths did not only send shockwaves across the state but raised concerns over their short stint in office, especially amidst the advocacy for the inclusion of women in politics. Weekend Trust writes on the circumstances behind their deaths. 

 

Oluwakemi Rufai (ward C, Ibeju-Lekki) 

It began when Oluwakemi Rufai, the councillor representing Ward C, died 17 days after her inauguration.

 The councillor, who was the only woman among the new lawmakers, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, August 13, following a brief illness.

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The news of her death was confirmed by both the chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Sesan Olowa and the chairman of Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Rasaki Kasali.

Five days later, Zainab Shotayo, who served as the chief whip of Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA, passed away 22 days after inauguration. She was the only female elected councillor in the council. She died on August 18, 2025 at age 29.

 

Princess Oluremi Nutayi Ajose, vice chairman, Badagry West LCDA 

Princess Ajose was the daughter of His Royal Majesty, Oba Oyekan Possi Ajose, the Alapa of Apa Egun-Awori kingdom. She died 55 days after inauguration alongside the chairman of Badagry West LCDA, Rauf Ibrahim Kayode Yemaren, popularly known as Rikay.

 

Basirat Oluwakemi Mayabikan, councillor, Ward F, Shomolu

Basirat Oluwakemi Mayabikan, the councillor who represented Ward F, Shomolu, died 56 days after inauguration. 

Also, Adebimpe Akintola, the manager of Coker Aguda LCDA and chairman of the Forum of Council Managers in Lagos State, died on Monday, September 29, 2025 after a brief illness. 

The Forum of Council Managers confirmed her death in a statement released recently, expressing condolence.

“With total submission to the will of Allah, we announce the passing of our chairman, Mrs Adebimpe Akintola on Monday, September 29, 2025. She served as the council manager of Coker/Aguda LCDA until her death,” the statement reads.

Her death sent shockwaves across the state, plunging members of staff of Coker Aguda LCDA and the community of council managers into grief.

Council managers serve as administrative heads and accounting officers for the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs across the state, a role also referred to as Head of Administration (HoA).

Since the demise of the above council officials, there have been different insinuations from various quarters about the cause of their deaths.

Weekend Trust reports that the election period was marred with internal wrangling in the ruling party, with the leadership being accused of imposition. There were several before the elections. 

 

Nothing strange – Sources

Sources within the All Progressives Congress (APC) who spoke with our correspondent on the unfortunate development said there was nothing strange about their deaths other than natural occurrences.

It was learnt that most of them were ill during the election while their sickness was compounded by election stress.

One APC member who spoke with our correspondent said investigations indicated that most of the officials died of natural ???.

The party official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “I can tell you that there is nothing strange in what happened. For instance, I was in Badagry two weeks ago after the death of the vice chairman. The woman was on treatment before the election; she even travelled out of the country before the election. 

“I can recall that during the swearing-in, the woman was visibly sick, coupled with election stress. I am sure it was due to the stress of the election. I will not say it is a curse, it is just a natural circumstance.”

 

It is a sad reality – APC 

The spokesman of the Lagos State chapter of the APC, Seye Oladejo, described the deaths as a sad reality, saying it is unfortunate.

“It is so sad that they (the elected officials) all happened to be female. It is just a sad occurrence. I have been busy urging people not to read unnecessary meaning to it. People should not read anything more than that.

“The report we had was that they fell ill after the election. The intensity of the election itself was also a factor. Some people have been around for so long; some good veteran politicians take a break to go and recover.

“Other than that, it is a very sad coincidence and reoccurrence. There was nothing more to it. It is just unfortunate. It was a personal pressure. When you are at a certain age, it is always in everybody’s interest to take personal interest in your health,” he said.

He added that the vacant offices would not be left void, disclosing that the state executives would not intervene in grassroots politics.

“Every politics is local; and all of them were councillors. I think it is the immediate constituency and their leadership that will determine what would happen. The headquarters of the party will not take decisions that are not appropriate,” he said.

He stressed that the Lagos State Electoral Commission (LASIEC) would figure out the process of a rerun.

“I don’t know if the LASIEC has made any announcement, but it is just a matter of time and they will fill those vacancies,” he said.

One of the residents of the affected constituencies, Tunde Ajayi, called on the Lagos State Ministry of Health to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the causes of these deaths. 

He said the ministry should prioritise the health of elected officers: “The health of our elected officials, particularly young women who are stepping into leadership roles, must be prioritised to ensure that such tragedies are prevented in the future. 

“I call on the ministry to provide clear recommendations and implement measures to safeguard the wellbeing of all public servants, including regular health screenings and support systems tailored to the demands of their roles.

“The loss of Rufai and Shotayo is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need to protect those who dedicate themselves to serving our communities. I extend my deepest condolence to their families, friends and constituents and pledge to honour their legacies by advocating a healthier and safer environment for all public officials.

“The public should demand accountability and action from the Ministry of Health to address this pressing issue,” he said.

 

LASIEC prepares for rerun

After two councilors first passed away, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission met political parties to intimate them on preparation for by-elections.

Commending the stakeholders for continuous support and collaboration, the chairman of the LASIEC, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retd), said the commission would not take the yet-to-be-fixed by-elections for granted nor leave any stone unturned.

Okikiolu-Ighile, who was represented by a LASIEC electoral commissioner, Mr Samson Ajibade, said the commission was poised to accomplish its mandate of conducting free, fair and credible elections.

She said the commission received with profound shock and sadness, the news of the untimely passing of the councilors, which she noted “created vacancies that must, in line with LASIEC laws and democratic principles, be duly filled.”

“Democracy thrives on representation, so the people of the affected wards deserve the opportunity to once again elect their representatives.

“The LASIEC, in the discharge of its constitutional mandate, has set in motion the processes that will culminate in credible, free and fair by-elections.

“We are committed to ensuring that the will of the people in the affected wards is reflected through transparent processes that guarantee inclusiveness, accountability and legitimacy,” Okikiola noted.

As at the time of filing this report, no date had been fixed for the by-elections, while family members and members of the ruling party are still grieving over the loss of the five elected council officials.