By Lekan Lawal
In a stunning political realignment that has sent shockwaves through Lagos State, the incumbent House of Representatives member, Hon. Kafilat Adetola Ogbara, has lost her re-election ticket in a fourth-place finish, sparking intense mockery across local social media circles.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Kosofe Federal Constituency concluded with a landslide victory for the two-term former Executive Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Mayor Dele Oshinowo, who secured a commanding 18,614 votes.
In sharp contrast, Hon. Ogbara’s second-term bid completely collapsed. She managed only 5,150 votes, trailing far behind challengers Yetunde Arobieke (7,389 votes) and Oluremi Odunsi (5,726 votes).
The Digital Backfire: PR vs. Ballot Box Reality
As official vote tallies filtered out from the voting centers, Ogbara’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle (@KafilatOgbara) turned into a digital battlefield. In the final hours of the election, her media team aggressively published highly polished crowd videos and optimistic updates to project absolute dominance.
The strategy backfired significantly. Local voters and political observers immediately flooded her comment sections with real-time results, causing her posts to be heavily “ratio’d”—a term meaning critical quote-posts and mocking replies vastly outnumbered organic likes.
Kosofe Residents Speak Out: The Negative Backlash
Local constituents used her own campaign slogans and nicknames to drive home the reality of her defeat. The comment section on her page fell into three distinct waves of mockery:
1. The “4th Position” Reality Check
Voters ruthlessly weaponised her bottom-tier finish against her campaign’s claims of grassroots support.
- “The people of Kosofe have spoken, but it seems you weren’t listening. Imagine an incumbent coming 4th. This is a total reality check.”
- “Ma, you said ‘continuity for greater progress,’ but the results say you are continuing to your house. 4th place out of 4 is wild for a sitting MHR!”
2. Taming the “Lioness” Branding
Ogbara’s team had heavily marketed her as the “Lioness of Lagos.” Commenters immediately turned the moniker into a joke.
- “We never see your own on TVC abi your own win no win for real ni my sister???”
- “Internet presence does not equal polling unit presence. Even Oluremi and Yetunde still clear your votes.”
3. Accusations of Public Deception
Constituents expressed anger at her media handlers for trying to deploy misleading public relations damage control while the numbers were actively going against her.
- “Who are you people trying to deceive with these packaged videos? Look at the comment section—nobody is buying the PR anymore.”
- “Stop disgracing yourself, what did you ever achieve for the indigenes…ZERO!E lo joko joor… kini a de!Se pe eyin ni kan sha le fe se oselu titi aiye a fi pare ni.Mayor Dele Oshinowo is the winner… end of story!In 2023, what did you do to win votes for Tinubu?”
By The Numbers: The Kosofe APC Primary Shift
The final election metrics outline a definitive shift of political capital away from the incumbent and toward grassroots performance:
| Candidate | Primary Votes | Final Standing | Public Digital Sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor Dele Oshinowo | 18,614 | 1st Place (Winner) | Highly Positive / Organic Growth |
| Yetunde Arobieke | 7,389 | 2nd Place | Neutral |
| Oluremi Odunsi | 5,726 | 3rd Place | Neutral |
| Hon. Kafilat Ogbara | 5,150 | 4th Place | Heavily Negative / Mocked |
A New Era for Kosofe
While Hon. Ogbara’s digital platforms remain under heavy public scrutiny, Mayor Dele Oshinowo’s online spaces are seeing a massive surge of celebratory traffic.
Local analysts in Kosofe note that Oshinowo’s extensive track record of infrastructure projects during his local council tenure ultimately neutralized Ogbara’s institutional incumbency advantages. The result sends a clear message to Lagos politicians: grassroots mobilization and visible performance heavily outweigh internet public relations.