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By Abimbola Ogunnaike, Debbie Eremen and Folashayo Osho
The local government elections in Lagos State have come and gone with the participants awaiting results from the various polling units in the state reports thegazellenews.com.
Lagosians on Saturday, 12 July, trooped out to vote to elect 57 council chairmen for the 20 local governments and 37 local council developments areas of the state as well as 377 councillors to represent the various wards.
Thegazellenews.com’s team went around the state to cover the election. Our Editor, ABIMBOLA OGUNNAIKE covered the Alimoso and Agege axis while our correspondents: DEBBIE EREMEN and FEYISHAYO OSHO covered Mushin, Odiolowo, Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu and Ikeja.
Thegazellenews.com observed that there were huge turn-out at Mushin, Odiolowo, Apapa and Apapa-Iganmu while in some areas of Alimoso and Agege, there were apathy on the part of the voters.
In some areas of Alimoso, late arrival of electoral officials was glaring.
In some areas at Mosan-Okunola LCDA, voting did not start until about 11.30 am and even 12 noon in some cases.
Thegazellenews.com observed that polling units 014, 033, 044 and 012 in Cacaten have the presence of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) officials at 12 :30 pm but accreditation was yet to commence.
According to Dimeji Lawal, one of the voters, he has been at his polling unit since 8 am, but as the time of filing this report around 12 noon, the 38-year-old trader is yet to cast his vote due to the late arrival of the electoral officials.
Akeem Lawal, one of All Progressive Congress (APC) agents who spoke to thegazellenews.com considered the delay “unusual”, adding that though delays are inevitable, but at this stretch, voters will not hesitate to express their frustration.
The contrast was the case in Mushin, Odiolowo/Ojuwoye, Apapa and Apapa-Iganmu where there were fairly good turn out.
At Imoru Street where the outgoing Chairman of Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA, Rasaq Olusola Ajala voted and adjoining streets, there were huge turn outs.
Ajala told thegazellenews.com that his team and party officials campaigned and mobilised well for the elections hence he was not surprised by the turn out.
“We mobilised our people talk to them, and campaigned vigorously hence I’m not surprised but happy at the turn out,”Ajala told our correspondents.
At Anipele Street in Mushin, the turn out was okay. Governance Advisory Committee (GAC) member and Apex Leader of Mushin Federal Constituencies, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon and his wife, Alhaja Ronke voted around 11.40 am.
The former Senate Minority Whip was not only happy at the turn out, he was also happy that the election was free and devoid of violence.
“You can see that the election is free and the turn out was very fair. I’m happy that there are no negative reports and the LASIEC officials have conducted themselves in civil and humble manner. The security is top-notch,” Senator Solomon said.
Thegazellenews.com learnt that the performance of some outgoing and popularity of the candidates contributed to the low or high turn out of voters during the exercise.
“Rasak Ajala has done well. He is one of the best, if not the best among the outgoing Chairmen. The turn in Odiolowo-Ojuwoye is high because we want his laudable programmes to continue. His current Vice is the APC candidate hence our decision to come out massively to vote,” Adeola Orogunle who lives in Umoru Street told thegazellenews.com
Senator Solomon also supported this. “The two Chairmen in Mushin: Rasaq Ajala, Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA and Thomas Bamigboye of Mushin performed excellently and their performances serve as motivation for the voters,” he said.
The popularity of Jimoh Olawale Saliu, APC candidate for Apapa-Iganmu LCDA served catalyst for high turnout into the area.
“We love him. He is a real grassroots man. We know he will really serve us because he is one of us,” Demola Adisa told thegazellenews.com in Sari Iganmu.
Popularly called ‘Alfa’, Olawale Saliu told this medium that he is a ‘son of the soil’.
“They know me very well. I live among them. I operate an open-door policy and I’m a real grassroots politician,” he said.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire also commended the exercise.
“The reports have been commendable. I want to commend LASIEC and security agents. It has been a seamless exercise,” the Presidential Aide said.
She stated further that the preparations put in place have been top notch and the result was the peaceful exercise, commending Lagosians for coming out peacefully to perform their civic duty.
While describing the local government as important part of governance, she said, “it’s the closest government to the people at the grassroots hence the need for those at the helms of affairs to work for the betterment of the people and ensure that they get adequate dividends of democracy at all times”.
