Low turnout mars Lagos East bye-election

The bye-elections for the Lagos East Senatorial seat and Kosofe constituency II held in five local government areas have recorded low turnout of voters across the state.

The electoral officers reported at various polling units a little behind schedule to commence accreditation exercise but the electorate did not turn out to vote as they were seen loitering around and engaging in economic activities.

According to Resident Electoral commissioner, Lagos state, Sam Olumekun, the five local government areas that make up Lagos East district have 71 registration areas and 1,343, 488 registered voters out of which 1,168,790 collected their permanent voter’s card.  

In polling unit 029 in Shomolu local government area, out of 467 registered voters, only 14 people voted.

As contained in Form EC 60 (E) which gave the breakdown of the total vote cast, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Tokunbo Abiru polled 10 votes while the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi scored 3 votes and Temitope Elijah of the YPP recorded just one vote. 

In his assessment of the electoral process, Vice-chairman, Lagos East Senatorial district, Kaoli Olusanya described the electoral process and environment as peaceful and calm. 

He said, “The electorate came out to vote without any fear and intimidation or panic. The security agencies are fully on ground and the INEC officials were on time. The card readers worked perfectly. When I went out to vote, within few minutes, the process had been concluded. With the display of the voter register, it’s so easy. It is seamless and easy. From what I have seen so far, the will of the people will prevail. The people have voted and the vote will count. I am very optimistic our candidate will emerge victorious.”

Also commenting on the voter turnout in Ikorodu district, a member of House of Representative and Chairman, House Committee on Defence,  Jimi Benson said there was apathy among Lagos Easterners.

He said, “Unfortunately the turnout was poor. There was apathy among Lagos Easterners. Bye-election is known to have a low voter turnout but it was all along peaceful. The people complied with COVID-19 protocol. The INEC staff and ad-hoc staff and police are very courteous. 

The National Orientation Agency has a lot of work to do. The people need to know and be informed about the essence of the election. They should know that voting is their civic responsibilities.”

Reacting to the electoral process, candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Lagos state House of Assembly, Femi Saheed said, “Judging by what I have observed, the turnout is low. In Nigeria, previous bye-elections have shown that turnout is always low. There is always voter apathy. 

“With the kind of leadership the All Progressives Congress has displayed in Lagos state, by the grace of God, I know we will win. We have done our bit as a party but event has shown that voter turnout during bye-election has always been low. To correct this in subsequent elections, the political class needs to bequeath to the people qualitative representation and focusing on people-oriented projects.

“The National Orientation Agency also has a lot of work to do in this regard by creating enough voter education and awareness. The citizens too must live up to their responsibilities. They must be involved in the selection of their representatives.”

Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Adeyemi Ikuforiji voted at unit 003 ward A4 Oke-balogun area of Epe in the bye-election to fill the vacant seat of Lagos East Senatorial District at the Senate.

The former Speaker arrived the polling unit and was accredited by INEC officials after which given the ballot paper. He subsequently cast his ballot and delivered his polling unit to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The chairman of Epe Local Government, Adesanya Adedoyin cast his vote at Erepoto primary school during today’s Lagos East Senatorial District Bye-election.

Commissioner of Police in charge of election monitoring, Kola Okunola said, “Everywhere is calm and peaceful. People have been voting without any violence. We have been to Ketu, Shomolu and we are now in Ikorodu. So far so good everything has been running smoothly.”

Similarly, in Ikorodu local government area, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Lagos East Senatorial by-election, Babatunde Gbadamosi who voted at the polling unit 014 in Allison junction was the first to be accredited at about 9:22 am.

Speaking to newsmen after casting his vote, Gbadamosi lamented low voter turnout and pocket of disturbances in ward A1.

“The truth is people are apprehensive. The election was supposed to start at 8 am but it started at 9:15 am. The election did not start on time. 

“There has not been enough voter education which was why a lot of people did not come out to vote. But all on all, so far, it has been a little calm but I heard that there is a little disturbance and you know where that usually comes from.

“These are the things we need to end in our democracy. When one side of the political divide believes that rigging and violence will earn then victory and they keep getting away with it. Unless the people themselves decide enough is enough.

“I am putting out this message to all the people of Lagos East to come out and vote to end the crisis we are facing in Lagos. They should come out to vote to end violence, hunger, oppression and officially sanction against the youth, children and adults. We are all victims of this misgovernance especially in the Lagos East” he said.

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