Voting has started for the 57 seats in local governments (LGs) and local council development areas (LCDAs) of Lagos state.
The exercise is, however, has seen a slow start and voters’ apathy across the state.
At polling unit 002, Aiyelagun ward in Ejigbo, only 10 people had voted at about 10am.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) officials in the ward complained that many residents appear not to be aware of the voting procedures.
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There was, however, noticeable improvement in polling units 003, block 100 in Oke-Alfa at Jakande Estate, Isolo where about 15 people had voted at 10-30am.
A LASIEC official at the ward, Abayomi Agonde, told Businessday that the exercise was going on smoothly in the ward, adding that the election materials had been brought in from 9am.
“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 have voted there is no problem. People are coming slowly though not as we expect”, Agonde said.
Also, there was a low turnout of voters at the polling unit, 034, ward, G, Oshodi.
Some of the residents who spoke to BusinessDay complained that they would not vote because the outgoing chairman failed to fulfil his electoral promises to them.
They urged Sanwo-Olu to monitor the way local government chairmen utilise funds allocated to their council, adding that most of them looted funds met for developmental projects in their councils.
“I am not interested in voting because my vote would not count, if I am even to vote I would like to vote for the PDP candidate but they may not declare him the winner.
“The chairman here is not doing well, a lot of money is allocated to him but what did he do with the money?, Ajala Akeem a resident at the ward, 034, in Oshodi said.
Meanwhile, a member representing Oshodi/Isolo 2 in the Lagos state house of Assembly, Jude Idimogu has lamented about the low turnout of voters for the council polls, adding that the continued voters’ apathy during elections in Nigeria was not good for the nation’s democracy.
Idimogu spoke to journalists after casting his vote at his polling unit, O75, in IIamose, Ejigbo, saying that Lagosians should come out to choose who would represent them at the council.
“The election has been peaceful as you can see, but there is a low turnout of voters across this LGA and we are still hoping people would come out. Lagosians should come out and elect would govern them.
“It is sad that the oppositions are not competing. We would have loved to see them compete, this is not really good thing for Nigeria’s democracy that Nigerians shun from exercising their civic duty”, Idimogu said.
