Pius Nsabe
Former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, has alleged widespread irregularities in the ongoing local government elections across the state and demanded the immediate cancellation of the exercise.
Speaking during an interview on Saturday, the former deputy governor expressed frustration after she was unable to cast her vote, saying her name was missing from the voters’ register at her polling unit.
“I have been to my own unit, my name is not there,” Bucknor-Akerele said, adding that several polling units were relocated without adequate notice to voters.
“There are units supposed to be in front of a co-hotel. They have brought them here to Ajose Adeogun,” she noted, suggesting that the relocations caused confusion and voter disenfranchisement.
The former deputy governor described the situation as a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral process in favour of a particular political party.
“There is a clear effort to rig the election in favour of one party. Many people are not able to vote because they have completely disrupted all the polling units,” she alleged.
Bucknor-Akerele, who served as deputy to former Governor Bola Tinubu between 1999 and 2003, urged the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to cancel the election, citing what she described as “disenfranchisement and logistical sabotage.”
Meanwhile, reports from other areas in the state showed similar issues. In Ojodu, electoral officers were absent in the morning hours, leaving voters stranded. In Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, LASIEC officials lamented poor turnout, with many blaming the situation on inadequate communication and voter apathy.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife cast their votes earlier in the day, with the governor calling on residents to exercise their civic responsibility peacefully.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission is yet to issue an official statement in response to the allegations. Calls and messages to LASIEC spokespersons were not returned as of press time.
The local government election in Lagos is being contested by candidates across multiple political parties, though the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is widely expected to retain dominance across the 57 local government areas and LCDAs.
Observers and civil society groups have repeatedly called for reforms in local elections across Nigeria, citing concerns about transparency, low turnout, and alleged state interference in the conduct of the polls.