The City Boy Movement has defended the attendance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police at the inauguration of its Lagos chapter, insisting that the police chief’s presence should not be interpreted as political endorsement or evidence of bias by the Nigeria Police Force.
The clarification followed public criticism over the Commissioner’s appearance at the pro-President Bola Tinubu group’s event, with some observers questioning the neutrality of security agencies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response, Bashir Ahmad, the movement said the Commissioner’s attendance should not be viewed through a partisan lens. It maintained that the presence of public officials at events does not automatically amount to institutional support for political organisations.
Meanwhile, the City Boy Movement in Ogun State distanced itself from a group known as CityBoy Likeminds, declaring that it is neither affiliated with nor recognised by the organisation at any level of its structure.
The group’s General Secretary, Adeyemi Ajasa, said CityBoy Likeminds is not part of its national, zonal, state, local government, ward or polling unit structures. He warned the group’s promoters against actions capable of creating confusion among supporters and urged members of the public to engage only with officially recognised leadership.
Reaffirming its commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the City Boy Movement said it remains focused on grassroots mobilisation and political engagement across Ogun State’s 20 local government areas, 236 wards and polling units as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.
However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the developments, accusing the Tinubu administration of using state institutions to advance its 2027 political ambitions.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern over reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) allegedly awarded election logistics contracts to a long-time political associate of the President. The party also cited the Lagos Commissioner of Police’s attendance at the City Boy Movement event as evidence of what it described as growing partisan involvement by institutions expected to remain neutral.
The opposition party said the developments raise serious questions about the independence of Nigeria’s electoral and security institutions ahead of the next general election. It called on both INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to provide explanations and reassure Nigerians of their commitment to fairness, neutrality and the rule of law.
