Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, participated in the ongoing local government elections on Saturday by casting his vote on Lagos Island.

The governor, accompanied by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, arrived at polling units 06 and 07 located within St. Stephen Nursery and Primary School, Adeniji Adele Road, around 11:00 am. He completed the voting process at 11:28 am.

Similarly, Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat cast his ballot earlier at 11:05 am at his polling unit in Oke-Balogun, Epe.

The elections are being held across the state to fill chairmanship, vice-chairmanship, and councillorship positions in the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos.

The Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, has established two Local Government Election Appeal Tribunals to handle post-election petitions.

The newly inaugurated tribunals will operate concurrently, with one seated on Lagos Island and the other in Ikeja.

Each panel comprises four chief magistrates, led by retired High Court judges.

Justice Taofikat Oyinkan-Abdullahi (Retd.) will head the Lagos Island tribunal.

The panel includes Magistrates Michael Olubi, Olaitan Ajayi, Salamah Matepo, and Hotepo Lazarus.

At the Ikeja tribunal, Justice Sherifah Solebo (Retd.) will preside, with Magistrates Davies Rasak, Oluwatosin Fowowe-Erusiafe, Adepeju Odusanya, and Lynda Balogun serving as members.

Speaking during the inauguration at the High Court Conference Room in Ikeja on Friday, Justice Alogba charged the appointees to uphold the law with integrity and professionalism.

“You must act strictly within the purview of the law. The confidence I have in your character, experience, and sense of judgment informed your appointment. I urge you to uphold justice without fear or favour, and resist all forms of bias or intimidation,” he stated.

He went on to stress the legal framework governing the operations of the tribunals, noting the timelines mandated by the 2016 Amendment of the Lagos State Local Government Law.

“Any decision or action taken outside the legally prescribed time limit is a nullity and of no legal effect,” he emphasised.

According to the law, election petitions must be filed within 21 days after results are declared, and the tribunal is required to conclude its sittings within 45 days.

Justice Alogba concluded by reminding the panelists of the wider public expectations of judicial impartiality.

“Lagos State judiciary is well known for its integrity and as a torchbearer in the nation’s judiciary. I enjoin you to go out and put in your best so that the results that come out from your decisions will be appreciated by society,” he said.

A crisis is brewing in Amankanu Ohofia, a community in Oduma, Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, as a long-running dispute over traditional leadership deepens, raising fears of a potential outbreak of violence.

The Indivisible Umuolo Family, one of the nine founding kindreds of the community, has sounded the alarm, accusing certain individuals of attempting to disrupt the long-established chieftaincy rotation system.

The kindred warns that unless urgent action is taken, the situation may escalate beyond control.

In a statement to the press, the family called on Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Aninri Council Chairman, Ugochukwu Nwanjoku and other stakeholders to step in and restore calm.

“Our land has been under fire for the past 10 years since autonomy was granted,” the statement read.

“We want peace. Our people want peace. Amankanu deserves peace. But there cannot be real peace unless there is fairness. We are calling on the Enugu State Government, Aninri council chairman, and the general public to come to the rescue of our dear land.”

The Umuolo kindred claims that the root of the conflict lies in alleged efforts to overturn the rotational kingship arrangement that has guided leadership succession among the nine kindreds.

The tradition, they note, is supported by the community’s constitution and operates strictly by seniority.

Amankanu Ohofia was formed through the peaceful unification of Amankanu Ndi Ulo (Group A) and Amankanu Ndi Agu (Group B) and has adhered to a rotational leadership structure since it gained autonomy.

As the eldest kindred, Umuolo insists that it is their legitimate turn to produce the next traditional ruler.

“Our constitution clearly stipulates that kingship should rotate according to seniority,” the group emphasized.

“As the eldest kindred, it is our turn. But some have resorted to underhand tactics to deny us what is rightfully ours. Our birthright is not for sale.”

They warned that any attempt to violate this established constitutional order would amount to trampling on the community’s long-held customs and could result in serious unrest.

Voting activities in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State were disrupted on Saturday due to the late arrival of electoral officials for the ongoing local government chairmanship and councillorship elections.

Residents, eager to cast their votes, had arrived at various polling units as early as 8:00 AM, only to face unexpected delays in accreditation and ballot casting.

Despite the logistical setback, many voters remained at the polling centers, waiting patiently for the arrival of officials from the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

One of the affected polling stations is the unit where All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate, Usman Hamzat, is expected to vote.

Concerned residents at the location expressed frustration, calling for better coordination in future elections.

The delay comes amid otherwise strong voter enthusiasm across parts of Lagos, with security heightened and movements restricted to ensure a peaceful election day.

Exactly one year after the Supreme Court upheld local government autonomy in Nigeria, 7,060,195 registered voters in Lagos State are heading to the polls today, July 12, to select chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and councillors across 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.

Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub and Tinubu’s home state, accounts for over ₦1.3 trillion in internally generated revenue and boasts about 20 million residents.

This high-stakes local poll will be supervised by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), as opposed to INEC, which handles federal and state-level elections.

Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, LASIEC’s chair, affirmed that “no political party was restrained from participating in the elections.”

Fifteen out of nineteen registered parties are contesting today across 13,325 polling units in 376 wards.

Okikiolu-Ighile further clarified that LASIEC will not use BVAS machines, stating “there are some electronics that we are going to use in between. We can go manual.”

Despite historically low turnout in council polls, she expressed hope that this year will be different:

“We are ready. We have worked hard. Now, we urge Lagosians to come out and vote peacefully.”

The Labour Party (LP) has officially announced that its presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections is open to all aspirants, with a firm declaration that no candidate will receive preferential treatment.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, emphasized the importance of a transparent process in selecting the party’s next flagbearer.

“There shall be primary elections in the Labour Party, and no aspirant will be favoured this time around,” Arabambi stated.

He reflected on the 2023 presidential election, during which Peter Obi emerged as the party’s candidate. Arabambi described that choice as a significant misstep.

He said the selection of Peter Obi “was a blunder with lasting consequences and a betrayal of Nigerians,” and added that the Labour Party is “set to correct its mistake ahead of the 2027 elections.”

Obi, who finished third in the last general election winning in 12 states including the Federal Capital Territory recently announced his decision to join a coalition movement under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he also declared his intent to run for president again in 2027.

Arabambi questioned Obi’s loyalty to the party, citing his move to the ADC as evidence of political inconsistency.

He went further to criticize members of the coalition Obi joined, labeling them as “Yahoo Yahoo politicians” who previously failed the nation.

“Instead of a leader with debt and discipline and demonstrable progress for national renewal, Nigeria got a populist, whose greatest skill is telling people what they want to hear,” he said.

“The 2027 election must not repeat this error, even as Peter Obi has defected from the Labour Party to ADC.”

Arabambi warned Nigerians against falling for political alliances he believes are harmful, referencing the previous administration’s failures between 2015 and 2023.

“Nigerians are wishing him well in that ungodly coalition because these are the same coalition that brought catastrophe on Nigerians between 2015 and 2023. Such a coalition must be rejected.”

Despite the sharp criticism, Arabambi reiterated that the Labour Party’s doors remain open to all Nigerians interested in contesting the 2027 presidential election under its platform.

“We wish Obi well in his Yahoo Yahoo coalition, but to let him know that the Labour Party presidential ticket is now open to all Nigerians,” he said.

“There shall be a primary election this time around, and no aspirant would be favoured.”

As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, debate continues over which region should fill the national chairman role. With the resignation of former Kano State governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, party leaders are split between the North Central and North West.

According to insiders, the party is waiting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to weigh in, but momentum is building for both zones.

Sources say that supporters from the North West want to “retain the position … to give the impression of continuity” following Ganduje’s exit. They argue this will help “avoid hurting APC members from the North West” and minimize internal conflict.

Meanwhile, voices from North Central emphasize their entitlement under the party’s zoning agreement, noting they are “waiting for the green light from Mr President.”

Multiple APC heavyweights from North Central such as former governors Tanko Al-Makura, Yahaya Bello, Joshua Dariye, and Senators Sani Musa, Solomon Ewuga, and Salihu Mustapha are reportedly positioning themselves for consideration.

The only active contender from the North West is Senator Abu Ibrahim of Katsina State. Still, Ibrahim dispelled speculation, saying:

“I’ve not discussed it with the president. Nobody has reached out to me or sought my view.… Personally, I believe I’ve done my part in politics. I would prefer to retire and allow younger leaders to emerge.”

Party insiders reveal President Tinubu’s preference will heavily influence the process, with some suggesting that Senator Ibrahim’s close ties to the president prompted SGF George Akume, a North Central native, to withdraw from contention, stating he is “not in a hurry to abdicate my responsibility…”

A legal threat is also emerging: Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, chairman of the North Central APC Forum, warned:

“It is our turn; it is the turn of the North Central. So, if they decide not to give us, we will have no other alternative than to proceed to court.”

APC constitution-review member Barrister Bashir Maidugu emphasized that:

“It can go to the North West, North Central or any other zone. The party’s leadership will decide based on strategy and electoral balance.”

There are emerging concerns that religious considerations might figure in the decision. A confidential source said:

“For fairness and justice… whoever Mr President is anointing should be a Christian this time.”

With NEC scheduled for July 24, a key question remains: will the party allow acting chairman Ali Bukar Dalori (North West) to continue temporarily, or will a substantive replacement emerge? Bala Ibrahim, the party’s spokesman, insisted:

“The party has no anointed or preferred candidate for now,” adding that “all aspirants would be given a level‑playing field when the time comes.”