A scoio-political group in Lagos, Concerned Citizens of Lagos has taken the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to task of their alleged refusal to screen and clear members-designate for the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), reports thegazellenews.com
The group in a statement titled ‘An Open Letter To The People of Lagos’, urged Lagosians to take lawmakers to task over the issue as this has hampered prpeaptions for the local government elections.
Omooba Murphy Ajibola, Leader of the group in a statement decried the present situation which affect the local government elections.
According to the group, the Assembly members have allegedly delayed the process of screening and approving the LASIEC members since June, 2024.
According to the group, the delayed process is against the provision of the law which orders election at the local government level preceded by adequate preparations.
According to the group, without LASIEC being inaugurated six months before the elections, no election will take place, making the state contravens the constitution.
Thegazellenews.com can report that the tenure of the present crop of council chairmen in the state ends on 25 July, 2024.
There have been controversies over the attempt by the state Assembly to amend the state Local Government law over alleged attempt by the Assembly to invalidate the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was Governor of the state.
The Assembly has denied this but the impasse on the screening and approval of the LASIEC members-designate may not be unconnected with this.
Below is the full statement by the Concerned Citizens of Lagos
An Open Letter to the People of Lagos State:
We, the citizens of Lagos State, stand at a critical juncture in our state’s democratic process. It is with a heavy heart and great concern that we draw attention to the ongoing and troubling refusal of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) to consider the names of members nominated for the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) by the Executive Arm of government, a process that has been delayed since June 2024.
This delay is not just an inconvenience, but a clear violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act of 2022. Both these legal documents unequivocally state that elections must be conducted at the local government level with adequate preparation. Specifically, the Electoral Act mandates that the notice for an election must be given at least 180 days before the election date. This timeline is critical to ensuring that the democratic process at the local government level is free, fair, and timely.
However, if LASIEC is not inaugurated in time—before this legally mandated 180-day timeline—Lagos State will be in breach of the law.
This means that the Local Government elections, which are vital to the functioning of our grassroots democracy, could be delayed or disrupted, leaving the people of Lagos without the proper representation that they deserve.
We cannot allow the actions of a few to hold our state hostage and undermine the foundational principles of democracy. Our duty as Lagosians is to hold our representatives accountable, demand that the Lagos State House of Assembly does what is required of them, and ensure the smooth operation of LASIEC as mandated by law.
The phrase “A stitch in time saves nine” has never been more relevant. We cannot afford to wait until it is too late to act. We must raise our voices now to pressure the Lagos State House of Assembly to carry out its constitutional duty and safeguard the integrity of our local elections.
Let us all come together—across every neighbourhood, every community, and every political affiliation—to stand up for the democratic rights of Lagosians. Our local government elections must be held on time, and we must insist that our elected representatives in the State House of Assembly act now, before it is too late.
We call on all Lagosians to speak up, demand action, and pressure the State House of Assembly to consider the names of LASIEC nominees without further delay. Our democracy, our state, and our future depend on it.
Yours in the struggle for democracy and good governance,
E- signed
Omoba Murphy Ajibola
For: Concerned Citizens of Lagos
