Local government elections across Lagos State concluded on Saturday, with officials now moving into the sorting and counting phase. Despite the scale of the exercise spanning all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) turnout was significantly low across many polling units.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), through its Chairperson Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, earlier confirmed that 15 political parties were cleared to contest for the various chairmanship, vice-chairmanship, and councillorship positions.
She noted in a Channels Television interview that, “no political party was restrained from participating in the elections.”
However, reports from the field painted a mixed picture.
At exactly 3:10 pm, LASIEC officially declared the voting process over, with counting and sorting underway in the presence of observers, party agents, and a few voters who remained to monitor proceedings.
Many areas witnessed sparse voter attendance. For example, at PU 18 in Ikate-Itire LCDA, Surulere, only 24 out of 733 registered voters, just 3.5%, had voted as of 2:22 pm.
A nearby polling unit beside Igbayilola Market saw similar voter apathy.
Traders continued with their daily activities, seemingly indifferent to the polls.
A FESTAC resident told DAILY GAZETTE “LASIEC is not here, nobody is coming out to vote. Everybody is scared. APC scared them.”
In Ojota’s PU010, which has 445 registered voters, about 200 had voted by 1:59 pm. Election officers there encountered language barriers.
“They speak only Hausa and do not understand English, but they want to vote,” one official explained. They were waiting for someone bilingual to assist in locating their names.
Political leaders came out to cast their votes despite the low turnout.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, voted at St. Stephen Nursery and Primary School, polling units 06 and 07 in Lagos Island, around 11:00 am.
The governor later said he was pleased with the exercise, commending LASIEC for the smooth process and encouraging more residents to vote.
Earlier, Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat also voted at Oke-Balogun, Epe, around 11:05 am.
At 12:31 pm, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, cast his ballot at PU 014, Elizabeth Fowler Memorial High School, Surulere, where he was welcomed by supporters and a strong security presence.
As of noon, only 60 of 669 registered voters had cast their votes at that location.
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, after voting in Orile Agege, remarked: “The opposition must put a formidable front to gain power.”
Despite efforts to prepare adequately, logistical hiccups emerged in areas like Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, where LASIEC officials were seen walking to polling units due to insufficient transportation.
A presiding officer revealed that although the transport provider claimed to have delivered the agreed number of buses, they weren’t enough.
At Ikosi-Isheri PU 036, only 6 out of 234 registered voters had shown up by 11:20 am, though both PDP and APC agents were present.
In many areas, voting materials arrived late, causing delays.
In PU 005, Ikeja LGA, accreditation began only after 11:00 am.
Voters said they had been waiting since 8:00 am.
Amid the low turnout, some citizens still demonstrated commitment.
At PU 17, Small London, Surulere, Toyin Davids, a physically challenged woman, cast her vote and described the process as smooth.
She encouraged others living with disabilities to participate, stating that, “no challenge should prevent Lagosians from choosing their representatives.”
Meanwhile, at PU 34 in Alhaji Marshal area, only a handful of voters were seen out of 172 registered.
In Surulere, some youths were seen playing football on Jubril Martins Street, ignoring nearby polling units. Similar indifference was observed across several locations.
As early as 8:43 am, voting had already commenced at St. Stephen Nursery and Primary School, Adeniji Adele, which houses two PUs with a combined 1,300+ registered voters.
A 70-year-old woman was among the early voters, arriving to exercise her civic duty.
At PU 014, Elizabeth Fowler Street, Surulere, accreditation began by 9:01 am, with LASIEC officials, party agents, and police officers present. However, only a few voters turned up.
By 10:46 am, low turnout was also reported in Alimosho and Agege LGAs, compounded by late arrival of materials.
Socialite Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, arrived at Adeniji/Adele polling unit with a group of young men, adding color to the day.
