[size=14pt]Concern Mounts over Lagos Council Poll Results[/size]
24 Oct 2011
LASIEC Chairman, Justice Abdulfatai Adeyinka
By Gboyega Akinsanmi and Charles Ajunwa

More than 24 hours after Lagos residents voted in the just concluded local council elections, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) is yet to release the election results.

The delay Sunday generated anger and concern among the political parties that participated in the process, with the exception of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The development sharply contravened the pre-election promise made by LASIEC Chairman, Justice Abdulfatai Adeyinka, that the election results would be announced within a timeframe of 24 hours.

As at the time of filing this report, THISDAY learnt that LASIEC officers in Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, where Mr. Babajide Obanikoro, contested chairmanship race on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, had disappeared from the collation centre.

It was gathered that Obanikoro, the son of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro, was comfortably leading before the vote counts stopped and electoral officers disappeared.

A good number of journalists from both the electronic and print media were denied access to LASIEC premises, though they hanged around hoping that the results would soon be announced.

At about 7:00 p.m., LASIEC spokesperson, Mrs. Ronke Famakinwa, came out, pleading with journalists that the election results would be announced, though did not give specific time for the release.

THISDAY, however, gathered that LASIEC Secretary, Mr. Adeyinka Jeje, had officially released the election result to Lagos Television and TV Continental, but this could not be confirmed as at press time.

But early, a coalition of election observers Sunday acknowledged some level of confusion, which they said, characterised the just concluded elections into the 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State.

The coalition, which comprises Northern Nigeria Union of Election Observers and West African Youth Peace Mission International Election Observers, noted this in its preliminary report at a news conference held at the secretariat of Lagos State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ikeja.

Speaking at the conference, Executive Chairman of Northern Nigeria Union of Election Observers, Comrade Ali Abacha, explained that there was confusion and pandemonium at Dodan Barracks which, he said, affected the voting process in some polling stations around Obalende.

Abacha also named Ijesha area of Lagos State, where he said, few cases of chaos and confusion were witnessed in some polling stations, thereby affecting the voting process.

The chairman also acknowledged that the heavy rains, which he said fell between 1:30 and 5:00 p.m., further affected the voting process in some areas and collation centres in the state, a situation which he said, no person or authority could control or manage.

He specifically named Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Apapa and Eti-Osa Local Government Areas among the parts of the state suffered apathy and low turnout, acknowledging that some polling units commenced voting fairly late; 10:00 a.m. in some areas and 11:00 a.m. in other areas.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/concern-mounts-over-lagos-council-poll-results/101210/