Lagos residents will troop out today to vote for their choice of candidates into the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, by electoral guidelines, even as the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, has assured of a free, fair and credible poll.

This is just as 13 out of the 15 registered political parties that are expected to participate in the election declined to sign a Peace Accord ina bid to get their commitment to a peaceful electoral process.

We’re fully prepared —LASIEC chairman

Meanwhile, LASIEC has declared readiness to hold the exercise in a free, fair and credible contest.

LASIEC, chaired by Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, (Retd), had at a press conference recently, said that the commission was fully prepared for the election and that every necessary measure had been taken to guarantee the integrity of the process.

She said, “this is to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to delivering a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and peaceful Local Government elections. On Saturday July 12, (today), Lagosians across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs of the state will go out to cast their votes to choose their leaders at the Local Government level as part of orderly transfer of power in a democratic manner.

“57 Chairmanship positions are being contested for as well as 57 Vice Chairmanship positions and 376 Councillorship positions to be contested for while the Elections will be held in all the 13,325 polling Units across the State. The total number of registered voters stands at 7,060,195, Number of PVC collected is 6, 214, 970, Number of PVC uncollected is 845,225.

“The total number of registered political parties is 19 with 15 participating. Voting process starts at 8 am and ends at 3 pm, while those on the queue by 3 pm shall be attended to. The development that leads to a free, fair and credible election starts with the promotion of public confidence and trust in the process. The commission is religiously following the implementation within the ambit of the law. We have taken comprehensive steps in line with our constitutional mandate and electoral guidelines to ensure a seamless process.” The chairman also promised the electorate and residents adequate security beyond the exercise.

“Members of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, shall be the first responders, while the joint Military patrol – OP MESSA shall equally be on standby. The commission is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a successful, free, fair and credible election that is devoid of violence, intimidation, or harassment,” she assured. The chairman also appealed to all the contestants to uphold democratic values and conduct themselves with decorum, maturity, and respect for the rule of law.

13 political parties shun peace accord

Meanwhile, 13 political parties have refused to sign the peace accord, while only two political parties, the All Progressives Congress and Youth Party, appended their signatures.

It has been a tradition by the Electoral Commission to invite participating political parties in an electoral process to sign a peace accord ahead of an election. LASIEC had invited the leadership of the 15 political parties on its ballot papers to sign a peace accord to get their commitment to a peaceful electoral process.

Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh was present at the event to witness the proceedings.

However, the political parties expressed their displeasure with the electoral process, saying their concerns raised earlier had not been addressed by LASIEC. Some of the concerns included requests for an extension of the deadline for registering their candidates, which was not granted by LASIEC. They also complained that they were not consulted before the guidelines were released, which made it difficult for them to meet the deadline.

On her part, Chairman, Labour Party, Dayo Ekong pleaded with the LASIEC Chairman to extend the deadline for submission of nomination forms, citing the crisis in the Labour Party as the reason for late submission. Ekong also claimed that the billboards and posters of LP candidates were vandalised in some parts of the State. The Public Relations Officer of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, George Ashiru, spoke on behalf of the aggrieved parties and solicited a date to sign the peace pact, provided the Commission would be willing to bend the rules.

Similarly, a group, Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, CHSR, has petitioned Lagos State House of Assembly on the need to postpone the July 12 Local Government Polls for what it called a delay in the implementation of the State Local Government Administrative Law, signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on May 7, 2025.

CHSR, led by its President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, had submitted a petition during a peaceful protest to the State Assembly to express deep concern over the delay in implementing the State Local Government Administrative Law.

While the group commended the executive arm for enacting the critical law aimed at improving the framework of local governance in Lagos State, the group stated that it was “ alarmed by the unconstitutional decision to defer its implementation until August 4, 2025, a date conveniently set after the scheduled Local Government Elections on July 12, 2025”. According to the group, “This calculated delay is not only unjustifiable but also undermines the spirit and letter of the Constitution, as well as democratic norms Lagos State has always prided itself on upholding.

“Allowing a law to be suspended arbitrarily for political convenience sets a dangerous precedent and may encourage future governments to subvert the legislative process to suit narrow interests. It is not only anti-democratic but also an affront to the rule of law.

“Delaying the law’s effect introduces legal ambiguity into the July 12 elections and risks post-election litigation and instability that could further polarize the polity and tarnish the image of Lagos State as a model of good governance. We, therefore, call on the Lagos State House of Assembly to uphold the sanctity of the legislative process by issuing a formal position affirming the law’s effective date as May 7, 2025.

“We demand immediate implementation of the Local Government Administrative Law without further delay. Failure to implement the law as duly signed is a violation of the public trust, and we shall not hesitate to escalate our advocacy to national and international levels if urgent corrective steps are not taken,” the group maintained. (Saturday Vanguard)