The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has assured voters of a smooth, transparent, and credible local government election today, with all systems go across the state’s 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.
Addressing the public ahead of the exercise, LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (Rtd), reaffirmed the commission’s readiness and commitment to a peaceful, inclusive and law-abiding election process.
“This is to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to delivering a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and peaceful Local Government election,” she declared.
A total of 57 Chairmanship, 57 Vice Chairmanship, and 376 Councillorship positions are up for grabs, with elections taking place in 13,325 polling units. Out of 7,060,195 registered voters, 6,214,970 have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while 845,225 remain uncollected.
The election features 15 political parties out of 19 registered. Voting runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with all voters in queue by the deadline guaranteed to cast their ballots.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile emphasised that building public confidence in the process is key: “We have taken comprehensive steps in line with our constitutional mandate and electoral guidelines to ensure a seamless process.”
Security has also been beefed up, with the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed as first responders. The OP MESSA military patrol team is also on standby to respond to emergencies.
Voters have been urged to exercise their franchise peacefully, while candidates are reminded to uphold democratic values and respect the rule of law throughout the exercise.