Forthcoming local government election in Lagos

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) recently set 22 July for the Local Government election in the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state and the other 30 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). Since then, political parties and their candidates have been going around campaigning and wooing the electorate for votes. Local government election in Nigeria has always ended as selection and mere endorsements. In many states, for so many years, there has been no election, as governors choose to run the grassroots government using caretaker committees. Imposition of candidates has also marred elections at that level. Recently, the primary election to select candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ended in chaos as party members rejected what they considered hijack of the process by certain elements in the party. Here, BDSUNDAY presents views of Lagos residents on council elections.

Nkem Ihentuge

I am not going to vote for anybody because I do not know about any election happening here; I have not seen any poster in this area. I have my voter’s card but I do not think am strong enough to go and stand under the sun or rain just because I want to vote for somebody that has been handpicked by some people somewhere before the election day. So, I am not voting.

Deborah Oni, a fashion designer

It is a welcome development because some people started campaigning last year thinking the local government election would hold, but it did not. Now that the State Government has fixed a date for the election, we are hoping the people will have their way in this election. Local government election is important for a state like Lagos because the people contesting are people some of us know very well and can relate with in our area.

Sylvester Nnaji, self employed

The up-coming local government election in Lagos State, in my own view cannot be seen as free and fair election, if held. I have taken my time to study the incident of the primaries that took place sometime last month; it can be seen as undemocratic. The point I am making is that we cannot be talking about free local government election if there is no internal democracy at the party level. Already, our mode of selection or appointing people that compete in these elections are faulty, so you can guess how the outcome would be especially with this Lagos State APC primaries and the intrigues that follow. There is not going to be any election in Lagos for a long time to come, what we have currently is a selection as long as I am concerned.

Micheal Minette, self-employed

I am not a politician but well the forthcoming local government election is going to be a one-way election as usual. The wish of the people has never counted and has never been granted but the wish of the imposters in the Nigerian politics; so the general interest of the electorate is not something we should talk about when it comes to Nigerian politics because it is never a consideration in politicians’ scheme of things. The godfather-syndrome in our political setting will always not allow for free and fair election at any level of our election, local government inclusive.

Badru Sahlem

Local Government is believed to be the closest government to the citizens. However, the purpose for which they were created especially in Nigeria has not been actualised. The forth-coming local government election like the ones in the past will record low turnout. The reason being that I as a person will not vote because there is no government’s presence in my area. Our roads are bad and the credibility of the party aspirants is shaky. LASIEC does not educate the electorates on the conduct of the election which to some extent makes me feel that the outcome of the election may have been pre-determined. How would I waste my time voting for candidates that I do not know? It means that voting in such an election would amount to an exercise in futility.

 

Seyi John Salau