Lagos LG Polls: Oseni expresses confidence on Justice Philips

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

As result of election conducted in the 57 Local Government Areas (LGA) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in Lagos  State is being awaited, the unquestionable credibility of the Chairperson of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission(LASIEC) has been restarted.

Ahmed Olajide Oseni, the All Progressives Congress(APC) candidate of Igando/Ikotun LCDA has given an upbeat assessment of the credibility of Justice Ayotunde Philips (Rtd) to conduct a free, fair and credible Local Government Election in the state.

Useni addressing journalists after casting his vote

Oseni while casting his vote at the Isheri-Osun polling unit of Igando/Ikotun LCDA stated that the retired justice has expressed her commitments towards conducting a successful council election.

“Looking at the Justice Philips’ past records, we have no doubt she will deliver though politicians often play out some mischief, but, we have confidence she will put in her best to give us credible election.”

On the wide complaint and criticism of the card readers he said LASIEC was not to be blamed, “card reader is given to LASIEC by the INEC, any malfunctioning act of the card reader should not be the fault of LASIEC, however if that finds its way to happen, there is manual process Which the electoral officers have been  trained to apply  to ensure that nobody is denied his or her voting  right,” he expressed.

On his assessment of the election so far, Oseni said election turnout in his ward has been encouraging and paeaceful.

The feelers being received from other wards according to the chairmanship hopeful was that the turnout was low in the  morning but has improved later in the day.

Oseni however expressed confidence in the outcome of the election which he hopes will be in his favour and that of his party that has worked hard as such deserves nothing but victory.

A voter at Ikotun-Egbe, Femi Bulugbe said he was at the polling unit as early as 9:00am, to his greatest surprise there was no official.

According to him, he has decided to go home and never to return lamenting that sacrificing his time to vote was not worth it since the outgoing chairperson of Igando /Ikotun LCDA was a failure.

THE outgoing Executive Chairman, Igando -Ikotun LCDA, Hon. Morenike Adeshina Williams

“The outgoing chairperson was a colossal failure. Am not encouraged to vote again, the sacrifice, am reminding myself, is not worth it. I better go and sleep,” he maintained.

At polling unit 002, Aiyelagun ward in Ejigbo, only 10 people had voted at about 10:00am when visited.

LASIEC officials in the ward complained that most residents appear not to be aware of the voting procedures, as such have decided to stay away.

Noticeable improvement was observed at the polling units 003, block 100 in Oke-Alfa, Jakande estate, Isolo LCDA.

Abayomi Agonde, LASIEC officials in the ward, said the exercise was going on smoothly in the ward, adding that the election materials had been brought in from 9am. It was observed that about 15 people had voted at 10:30am.

“We started voting here by about 9-30am, but you know when we came in by 9am we had to set this place and we started voting. There is no problem, people are coming slowly though not as we expect”,Agonde said.

Also, there was low turnout of voters at polling unit, 034, ward, G, Oshodi.

Some of the residence who spoke to our correspondent complained that they would not vote because the outgoing chairman failed to fulfill his electoral promises to them.

They urged Sanwo-Olu to monitor the way local government chairmen utilize funds allocated to their council,adding that most of them looted funds ment for developmental, as such left the council undeveloped.