The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all three councillorship seats contested in the bye-elections conducted by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Somolu Local Government Area.
The bye-elections were held to fill vacancies created by the deaths of lawmakers representing Orimedu I Ward C in Ibeju-Lekki, Kayode/Fadeyi Ward H in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA and Bajulaiye/Fola Agoro Ward F in Somolu.
Results released by LASIEC showed that APC candidate Rufai Kafayat Abosede emerged victorious in Orimedu I Ward C, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, polling 8,386 votes to defeat NDP candidate Sanusi Samsideen Adeleke, who secured 27 votes.
In Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, APC candidate Shotayo Samiat Adebisi won the Kayode/Fadeyi Ward H seat with 3,820 votes, defeating ADC candidate Onwenu Ifeanyi Abidemi, who polled 260 votes, and National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Omobolanle Shotayo, who scored 28 votes.
Similarly, APC’s Kehinde Halimat Jolaosho clinched the Bajulaiye/Fola Agoro Ward F seat in Somolu Local Government after polling 2,546 votes, while African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Anyamebechi Ifeanyi Theophilus and NDP candidate Abalokun Joseph scored 157 and 23 votes respectively.
The elections were conducted peacefully across the affected wards, with voters turning out to elect new representatives for their communities.
Speaking during a monitoring tour of polling units, LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd.), expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, describing it as peaceful, transparent and inclusive.
She said reports from officials deployed to the three councils indicated that voting commenced smoothly and that residents participated in the process without disruption.
‘We have been to quite a number of polling units in Odi-Olowo and Somolu, while some officials are monitoring the exercise in Ibeju-Lekki. We have received positive reports from the field and people have been coming out to vote.
‘It is a bye-election involving only one ward in each council, so it cannot be compared with a general election. Nevertheless, participation has been impressive and the process has been peaceful,’ she said.
The LASIEC chairman noted that party agents were present at polling units visited by the commission and commended residents, political parties, security agencies and members of the media for their roles in ensuring a credible exercise.
According to her, security personnel were deployed across the polling centres, while collation and announcement of results were conducted in line with electoral guidelines.
At polling units monitored by The Nation in Somolu, voter turnout was moderate.
Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Lateef Ashimi, described the bye-election as a constitutional process aimed at ensuring that residents of the ward continued to enjoy representation at the grassroots level.
Ashimi, who monitored the exercise across parts of the council area, said the atmosphere remained peaceful throughout the voting period.
‘I have moved around to ensure maximum security and everywhere has been peaceful. The electorate have also conducted themselves properly and the process has been orderly,’ he said.
One of the voters, Bashir Ayinla, said participation in the election was necessary to ensure that residents were adequately represented in local governance.
‘If I don’t vote, I am disenfranchising myself. This election concerns my ward and my community. Whoever emerges should put the people first and work with the council to bring development to the area,’ he said.