Kunle Adelabu, Mariam Akinloye & Olatunji Ademola
-Election recorded low turnout across Ikorodu
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has received commendations from party functionaries and residents for the early arrival of the electoral officials and the seamless process of the ongoing local government elections.
Also, our reporter, who monitored the elections, reported that there was low turnout of voters in most of the centres visited.
There are also at least two police officers each stationed at each of the polling units visited. Counting of votes are currently ongoing at the time of filing this report
While major roads were deserted during the exercise, residents were seen roaming the streets in most of the areas visited by our reporter.
In most of the polling units visited by our reporters in Ikorodu Local Government, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, party agents and voters said that electoral officials arrived at voting centres in good time and that election commenced early.
At polling unit 001 (Ipakodo Primary School), Ward A in Ikorodu West LCDA, we gathered that officials arrived at the venue before 8.00am and voting commenced at 8.30am.
At polling unit 007 (Police post) Ward A also in in Ipakodo, party agents and voters said that LASIEC officials arrived at 8.20am for the election.
At polling unit 010 (NPA) in Ipakodo, voters said that electoral officers arrived at 9.00am.
The situation was the same in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
At polling unit 002 and 003 located within the Methodist Primary School in Igbogbo, we gathered that electoral officials arrived at 7.12am.
At C2, booth 010, electoral officials arrived at the election venue at 7.30am and voting commenced at 9.00am
At Ward C2, polling unit 006 in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, electoral officials arrived at 8.00am and voting commenced at 9,00am, while at polling booth 0009, it was gathered that they arrived at 7.00am.
Electoral officials arrived at Ward C1, polling unit 005 (Adeboruwa palace) in Igbogbo at 7.30am while voting commenced at 8.00am.
Electoral officials also arrived early at polling units visited by THE IMPACT in Ikorodu Local Government.
Builder Sesan Daini voted at the polling unit 004, Sholawon Street in Igbogbo at the back of the MOPOL 63 Barracks.
In Ward F, polling unit 043 (opposite LIFE Bible College), where the Majority Leader of the Lagos House of Assembly voted, we gathered the electoral officials arrived at 9.00am.
At polling unit 039 (Anglican Primary School) also in Ward F, electoral officials arrived at 8.00am, while at polling unit 007 (Aga Primary School, Aga) in Ward E, party agents said that electoral officials arrived at 10.10am and voting commenced at 10.30am.
Princess (Hon.) Folashade Olabanji -Oba, the Vice Chairman of ikorodu LG who is seeking re – election for the same position voted 10.00am at Ikorodu Home Economics Centre in Ward A.
Asiwaju Olorunmi Basorun, a member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) who spoke with our reporter after voting at 10.15am at C2 in Igbogbo, described the process as impressive.
“I have voted and what I saw was very impressive. I learnt that the officials were at the venue by 8:15am which is unusual of the electoral officers and immediately they arrived, they started their work and when I got there, I spent just about 3minutes to vote for the chairman and the councillor of my choice”, Asiwaju Basorun said.
“It was very impressive. I hope this is all over.
The elder statesman, however, said that many factors accounted for the low turnout.
“Well, the turnout is poor because of a lot of factors”, he said.
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, commended the electoral officials for arriving at the voting venues on time while also stating that the election was peaceful.
The ranking lawmaker voted at 9.45am.
“The process is peaceful and orderly and the INEC officials were here on time”, he said.
“The process is going on smoothly. There is no cause for Alarm for now and we hope that that is how it will be throughout the day”.
Speaking on his expectations, the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I said that he expects the best candidates and parties to win.
“My expectation is that the best party and candidates will win. People want to vote for credible candidates: those that they know; people that they have been seeing and well tested and trusted.
“So, people are casting their votes and I am sure that they are voting for my party because we are with the best candidates”, he said.
Princess Jumoke Jimbo – Ademehin, the outgoing Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, who voted in Ward A, polling unit 001 at 9.50am, also described the process as seamless and calm.
She commended LASIEC for improving on the electioneering process.
“The election has been very calm. Everything is going on smoothly.
“ I can even see improvement in the card reader. Immediately your card is inserted, it brings out your profile and you would be asked to cast your vote”.
She said that she is expecting victory for her party, APC.
“Well, God has been on our own side, we are going to win because I can see that people are coming out to cast their votes”.
Alhaji S.O Ogunyemi, the APC LGA Chairman in lgbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, said that the turnout was low and that they have been going to houses to ask people to come out and vote.
“I don’t know what to say for now because the turnout is very low and we have been making arrangement to go and call people out to vote” the party chairman complained.
“I think that people are tired of the situation in the country, but we are still trying our best to make hem come out to cast their votes for our party, APC.
“It is obvious that APC will win because PDP is not our match in Lagos State, l don’t know of other states”, he said.
Mrs Hassan Khadijat, the PDP agent at UAMC Primary School (Eleja) in Igbogbo, said that the election was free and fair.
“Everything is okay. The election is free and fair here. There is no stress and everything is going on fine. We are still expecting people to come out because the turnout is very low. People are not coming out as expected”, she said.
Mrs Funmi Bakare (Nee Onasanya), an APC member and Mr Abdulfatai Oshin, PDP agent, both lamented the low turnout of voters but also commended the process which they described as peaceful and orderly.
At polling unit 005 (Adeboruwa palace), Ward C1, the APC and PDP agents told our reporters that the process was peaceful but also lamented the low turnout.
