Low turnout of voters marked the LGA elections in Lagos
state on Saturday.
Many of the polling units in Badagry, Alimosho, Epe, Mushin,
Ikeja and Odi-Olowo recorded a paucity of voters.
Monday Avoseh, a voter at ward C, Awhajigoh, Badagry, said
the low turnout was due to voter apathy.
At Ajara-Topa ward C, Babatunde Hunpe, a lawmaker
representing Badagry federal constituency in the House of Representatives, said
it was not too late for voters to show up.
In Epe, at ward D, polling unit 003, the polling officer
said 689 voters registered, but so far, only 20 eligible voters had been
accredited.
At Mushin and Odi-Olowo, the exercise was characterised by
the late arrival of voting materials and low turnout.
‘WE WERE UNAWARE OF
THE ELECTION’
Some Lagos residents expressed their dissatisfaction with
the ongoing election.
According to NAN, some of the residents said they thought
the election had been postponed while some said they had no knowledge of the
exercise.
The electorate alleged that there was insufficient public
awareness concerning the election.
Anayo Nebonta, a resident of Oto Awori LCDA, was quoted by
NAN as saying he only “got wind of the election this morning” on his way to his
business.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the “poor publicity” of
the process and urged that it be made better in the future.
“This morning, many Lagos residents were not even aware of
this local council election, and we were asking ourselves if this election is meant
for some segment of the state, because if we are not aware then who are those
to cast the votes,” Nebonta said.
“I had planned my business for today only to be informed of
the restriction of movement.
“I advice that in a democratic setting like Nigeria, there
should be sufficient publicity, to prepare voters for the exercise. This is
because we are the ones to select our leaders.”
Kehinde Adegoke, another voter at ward B, Oto Awori, said:
“I will say that some Lagosians are not aware that there will be elections
today.
“Personally, I will not pretend I had prior knowledge of
this election but I got to know during my discussion with friends last night.
“So, this morning, as I was on my way to the ward, I even
saw some people who were turned back by the police and one could see that they
were going for their respective businesses.
“I really don’t know what happened and how it happened but I
think the information on the election did not go round.”
On her part, Iyabo Oloruntobi said she was informed that the
election had been postponed.
“In fact even me, when I came out this morning, everyone in
my area was saying there was nothing like election,” she said.
“I went back to my house but later decided to come out again
when I discovered no vehicle was moving and I saw some policemen. That was what
gave me assurance that there will be an election.”
“WHY WE ARE NOT
VOTING”
Some residents of Jakande Estate, Oke-Afa, said their apathy
towards the election was borne out of their disappointment with some elected
politicians in the area.
NAN quoted some residents as saying politicians had failed
to fulfill their campaign promises, hence, their decision not to vote.
Tunde Adediji, one of the residents, said he came out to
observe the process but not to vote.
Adediji said the roads in the area were bad and not attended
to by the council.
Yusuf Amuda, another resident, said Nigerians are now more
conscious of what is happening in the country.
According to him, many politicians in the area “promised
everything during their campaign but failed to deliver and disappear until the
next election”.
Also speaking, Ronke Adegbenro, lamented that what is meant
for everybody is usually shared among a few and that only card-carrying members
of parties benefit from such gestures.
She said many of the politicians in the area become
inaccessible once elected into office.
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