The Labour Party in Lagos State has announced plans to legally contest the results of local council elections held earlier this month, denouncing the vote as a “sham” marred by systemic fraud. Party chairperson Pastor Dayo Ekong accused authorities of orchestrating widespread irregularities to undermine democracy during the July 12 polls, which saw the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) secure near-total control of local offices.
At a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, Ekong claimed the election, administered by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), failed to meet democratic standards. “This was not a contest of ideas but a blatant attack on the electoral process,” she stated, alleging deliberate manipulation to distort outcomes. The APC secured all 57 chairmanship seats and 375 of 376 councillor positions, a result Ekong called implausible without systemic interference.
The Labour Party leader cited incidents of voter intimidation, ballot-box stuffing, and the absence of election officials and materials at polling units in areas including Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin, and Ajeromi. She also highlighted reports of fake voter accreditation, missing party logos on ballots, and alleged coercion of voters—issues she said were documented by the party’s legal team for an upcoming court challenge. “These were not mere glitches but tools to suppress the people’s will,” Ekong asserted, urging Nigerian courts to address what she termed a “descent into darkness” for local governance.
Beyond contesting the results, Ekong called for sweeping electoral reforms, including abolishing state-run electoral commissions like LASIEC. She argued such bodies, often criticized as partisan, should cede authority to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure fairness. “State commissions are undermining grassroots democracy,” she said, urging federal lawmakers to prioritize legislation safeguarding local elections.
The allegations come amid longstanding concerns about the autonomy of state electoral bodies in Nigeria, where opposition parties frequently accuse officials of favoring incumbent administrations. While LASIEC has yet to respond to the claims, the Labour Party’s challenge highlights escalating tensions over electoral transparency in Africa’s most populous nation, where local councils manage critical services and budgets. Legal experts note such disputes often face prolonged adjudication, but the case could renew debate over decentralizing electoral oversight to curb malpractice.
