The aftermath of Saturday’s local government elections in Lagos State has been marred by widespread allegations of electoral malpractice, with opposition parties calling for the cancellation of the results and accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of gross misconduct and manipulation.
Several opposition figures, including the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party and Social Democratic Party, have cried foul over the conduct of the election. The Secretary of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Sam Okpala, described the entire process as a complete sham, alleging that elections did not take place in many polling units and that the process was riddled with malpractices never before witnessed in the state.
According to Okpala, LASIEC officials were absent in numerous polling centres while in places where voting was said to have occurred, already thumb-printed ballot papers were allegedly stuffed into boxes. He further claimed that many LP agents and supporters were barred from entering polling units, effectively shutting them out of the process.
The Deputy Chairman of the PDP in Lagos, Tai Benedict, echoed similar concerns, accusing the APC of using the election to portray a false image of popularity. He warned that the results, once declared, would not reflect the will of the people, claiming that the numbers might even surpass the votes recorded for APC in the last presidential election. He alleged that the election was manipulated from the onset to create an illusion of public support.
Femi Olaniyi, Chairman of the SDP in the state, raised a different concern, alleging that his party’s name and logo were omitted from ballot papers in various locations, including Badagry. He described the election as a selection, not a democratic process, and vowed to challenge the outcome in court.
Former deputy governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, who was also disenfranchised due to missing voter details, expressed deep frustration over what she described as deliberate attempts to suppress voters. She condemned the relocation of polling units without public notice and called for the immediate cancellation of the exercise by LASIEC.
Despite the opposition’s grievances, the APC in Lagos expressed confidence that the party would secure all 57 chairmanship and councillorship seats. The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Seye Oladejo, stated that the APC’s track record at the local, state and federal levels had made it the party of choice for Lagosians. He described the election as a preparation for the 2027 general elections and claimed that the opposition in the state was virtually nonexistent.
However, the credibility of the election was further called into question by logistical shortcomings reported across the state. Voter apathy, late arrival of electoral materials and delays in deployment of LASIEC officials were recorded in several local government areas including Ikosi-Isheri, Eti-Osa, Ikoyi Obalende, Iba, Ojodu and Agboyi-Ketu. Some officials reported confusion over the sorting of materials, wrong deployment locations and even fuel shortages. Voters in affected areas expressed anger and disappointment, citing poor communication and coordination by the electoral body.
As early as 9:45am, dozens of security personnel and electoral staff were still awaiting deployment at Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, while in Ojodu and other areas, many polling units remained without officials well past midday. Voters, some of whom had arrived at their units before 8am, were forced to wait for hours under the sun, with some returning home without voting.
In spite of a Friday appeal by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urging residents to participate in the poll, voter turnout remained remarkably low across the state. In Obalende, the streets were deserted, and youths were seen playing football instead of heading to polling units. Others said they were unaware of voter registration or had misplaced their PVCs.
An APC party agent, Alli Olugbenga, expressed frustration over voter apathy, claiming that some voters demanded payment before casting their votes. He noted that party officials were forced to move from house to house to encourage people to come out and vote.
Governor Sanwo-Olu and top political figures including his deputy Obafemi Hamzat, the Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa, all hailed the conduct of the polls as peaceful. After casting his vote on Lagos Island, Sanwo-Olu praised LASIEC for what he termed a largely hitch-free process, while Gbajabiamila reiterated the importance of achieving full local government autonomy.
Obasa and Hamzat also expressed optimism over the APC’s performance in the elections, commending voters and electoral officials for their participation despite the challenges.
In a separate development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission dispatched operatives across several polling units in Lagos as part of a nationwide effort to tackle vote buying. Led by Zonal Director Michael Nzekwe, EFCC teams visited locations including Bonny Camp, Banana Island, Lekki and Epe to ensure transparency in the voting process. Nzekwe described the exercise as peaceful and pledged the agency’s continued support for credible elections.
As collation of results gets underway, public attention will now shift to LASIEC’s final declarations and how opposition parties will respond to what they consider a tainted electoral exercise. For many residents, however, the hope is that future elections in Lagos will be better organised, truly inclusive and reflective of the people’s will.
