Lagos residents are casting their votes today to elect chairmen and councillors across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), amid rising tensions and concerns over transparency.
Although the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has promised a peaceful and credible process, controversy is brewing after 13 out of the 15 participating political parties declined to sign the traditional pre-election peace accord. Only the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Youth Party endorsed the agreement aimed at ensuring a non-violent poll.
LASIEC Says All Set
Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (Retired), the LASIEC chairperson, assured the public that all logistics and security arrangements are in place. A total of 57 chairmanship and vice-chairmanship seats, along with 376 councillorship positions, are up for grabs at 13,325 polling stations across the state. The commission reports that over 6.2 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected from the over 7 million registered voters.
Security personnel from the police and civil defence corps will be on ground, while a military patrol unit will be on standby to maintain peace throughout the voting period, which runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Discontent Among Opposition Parties
The majority of political parties opted out of the peace accord, citing unresolved issues with LASIEC. These include the refusal to extend candidate registration deadlines and the lack of proper engagement before electoral guidelines were issued.
Labour Party Chairperson Dayo Ekong appealed for flexibility, pointing to internal party disputes that delayed the submission of nomination forms. She also alleged that campaign materials belonging to her party had been destroyed in certain areas.
George Ashiru, spokesperson for the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), suggested that the parties would be open to signing the peace agreement if LASIEC addressed their complaints.
Call for Election Postponement
In a related development, the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly, urging it to delay the polls. The group criticised the postponement of the implementation of the newly signed Local Government Administrative Law until August 4 — weeks after the election.
CHSR President Alex Omotehinse described the move as politically motivated and damaging to the credibility of the election. He warned that delaying the law could create legal uncertainty and open the door to post-election disputes. The group is demanding that the law be enforced immediately and warned of possible national and international advocacy if no action is taken.
