Low turnout, intimidation of voters mar election in Lagos

The gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State have been marred by low turnout, intimidation and suppression of voters across the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received a lot of knocks after the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the commission promised to make remarkable improvement but unfortunately not much was done to meet the expectations of the electorate.

Reports across various polling units are sad tales of INEC changing polling units with prior notice.

In VGC area of Lagos, the polling unit was moved from the estate to the express way, with the estate gate locked and voters were asked to come there and vote or forget about exercising their franchise.

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A viral video of a lady appealing to INEC to return the polling unit to the estate because it is very unsafe for voters in their thousands to come to cast their votes as been trending online since Saturday morning.

Similarly, in Oniru area of Lagos, the traditional of the area locked the gate and refused Voters access to their polling units.

Suppression of voters was noticed in Ejigbo, where political thugs took over the scene, shooting sporadically and snatching ballot boxes with security in sight to stop them

Meanwhile, Bode George, former Deputy National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lamented the suppression of voters across Lagos State.

The Atona Odua of Yorubaland said that it is unfortunate that political thugs have taken over the electoral process and refusing the electorate the opportunity to elect their leaders.

“All over Lagos State the story is the same as voters kept calling for help and no one seems to be becoming, it is a sad situation and a rape of democracy,” George said.

A voter in Alimosho area of Lagos, who doesn’t want her name on paper, said several gun has scared people away from the polling units in the area.

“My husband just called me also from his polling unit to say that they are running and shooting was heard. Right now he is hiding in a shop”, she said.

In another part of Lagos, Shomolu area, a voter, who simply gave her name as Blessing said that area boys took over her polling unit (Ward c (161), while the voters ran for safety.

According to her, “I could not vote because armed men came to beat everyone and chased us away from voting. They took the ballot box and shooting sporadically in the air”.