…Group Fault Polls, Call It a ‘Coronation’
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a clean sweep in the Lagos State local government elections held on Saturday, winning all 20 local government chairmanship seats and all 37 Local Council Development Area (LCDA) positions.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), which conducted the election, also declared the APC as winner of 375 councillor seats across the state, leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with only one councillor seat.
Chairperson of LASIEC, Justice Ayotunde Phillips (rtd), represented by the commission’s Permanent Secretary, Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, made the announcement at the commission’s headquarters in Yaba on Sunday.
She congratulated all elected candidates and advised them to treat the victory as a responsibility rather than a trophy.
“My words to the winners in the election is that this is not only a call for celebration but for service to the people who voted for them,” Okikiolu-Ighile said.
Despite the landslide victory by the ruling APC, the elections have drawn heavy criticism from civil society groups and election observers, who described the process as flawed and undemocratic.
The Electoral College Nigeria, a civic organisation monitoring elections, in a report released on Sunday, described the exercise as “a coronation, not a contest,” alleging widespread irregularities, voter suppression, and systemic inefficiencies.
“With a voting population exceeding 10 million, only about 275,000 voters participated in the election — barely three per cent turnout,” the report noted.
“This is not just voter apathy; it is a vote of no confidence in the credibility of the process and the institution managing it.”
Executive Director of the Electoral College, Kunle Lawal, questioned LASIEC’s independence and accused the commission of bias in favour of the ruling APC.
“The commission, often politically aligned with the ruling party, has turned what should be a democratic contest into a predictable coronation,” he said.
The organisation also raised alarm over the exclusion of opposition candidates, alleging that many were edged out through legal technicalities, denied access to nomination forms, or had their party logos missing on the ballot papers.
“These actions are not mere oversights; they are antithetical to democratic principles,” the report stated.
Election observers, according to the report, also recorded several operational failures, including late arrival of voting materials, untrained ad hoc staff, and polling units that never opened. There were also allegations of ballot stuffing and voter intimidation in certain wards.
“These shortcomings not only cast doubt on the credibility of the results but expose the lack of institutional preparedness,” the group added.
Beyond the electoral process itself, the Electoral College drew attention to the huge financial implications of local governance in Lagos.
“In a year, Lagos LGAs receive over ₦130 billion meant for development, education, health and other services,” the report stated. “When such enormous resources are allocated but only a tiny fraction of the electorate participates in deciding who controls them, it fosters unaccountability and corruption.”
To tackle these challenges, the Electoral College proposed wide-ranging reforms, including restructuring LASIEC to guarantee independence, incorporating opposition voices in the pre-election process, and launching joint civic education campaigns.
The group also expressed willingness to partner with LASIEC to improve electoral literacy and provide advisory support and non-partisan observation of future elections.
“Democracy does not end at the polling unit; it starts with the belief that each vote counts,” Lawal said. “Sadly, the 2025 Lagos local elections tell a story of weakened institutions, disenfranchised citizens, and a broken process.”
“For governance to truly serve the people, Lagos must do better,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, LASIEC has not yet responded to the allegations raised in the report.
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