…the governor acknowledged that the LG elections witnessed minor logistical hitches.
Lagos, Nigeria – The iNews Times reports that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and orderly conduct of the local government elections held across the state on Saturday.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, Ward E, Lagos Island Local Government Area, at exactly 11:10 a.m., the governor praised the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for what he described as a well-coordinated exercise.
“Everything is okay here. Voting is ongoing, the officers are on ground, and I have just performed my civic responsibility,” Sanwo-Olu said, flanked by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu. “The atmosphere is peaceful, party agents are present, and within three to four minutes, everything is concluded.”
The governor acknowledged that there were minor logistical hitches in the early hours of the day-mainly transportation delays for electoral officers due to vehicular movement restrictions-but noted that the issues were swiftly addressed.
“There were no shortages of materials. The issue was just about getting people to their polling units. But as of now, the reports indicate that most areas have commenced voting,” he said, adding that he had been monitoring developments across polling centres through media coverage before arriving at his own unit.
Sanwo-Olu used the occasion to emphasise the critical role of local government in Nigeria’s democratic structure, calling for greater administrative autonomy at the grassroots level.
“Local government is an important arm of government, and their independence is key,” he stated. “Here in Lagos, many of them are executing impactful projects and competing among themselves in terms of development.”
He lauded the performance of elected council chairmen and councillors across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, attributing their progress to alignment with the state’s THEMES Plus development agenda and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope initiative.
“Our councils have keyed into the THEMES Plus agenda and are running with it, even at the LCDA level. This shows their commitment to service delivery and grassroots development,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu also acknowledged the presence of election observers, including representatives from other states’ electoral commissions, who were in Lagos to monitor the conduct of the polls.
As of press time, voting was still underway in several parts of the state, where residents were electing new leadership at the local level to drive community-based governance and development initiatives.
