8th September, 2010
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), has assured Lagos residents on creation of additional wards and polling units to enable them to be represented and participate fully in the coming general elections.
Justice Abdul-Fatai Adeyinka (retd), chairman of the commission, made this known on Monday at a stakeholders’ forum on delineation of wards and creation of additional polling units, jointly held by the Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba Local Council Development Area.
Adeyinka stated that his commission had met with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, informing him that it has embarked on delineation of wards and creation of additional polling units to enable people at the grassroots to be fully represented and participate in the coming general elections and that the report would soon be made available to REC, while calling on country’s electoral body to distribute the voter register equitably to ensure that all and sundry participate in the coming exercise.
He, however, stated that not all the demands made by the stakeholders would be granted as such are subjected to INEC’s laws and guidelines on creation of polling units and wards
He also advised Lagosians to come out to register and vote during election period.
Mr. Olalekan Mabinuori, Commissioner, Lagos Central Zone of the commission, said that the idea behind the forum was to afford residents of the state to receive memoranda on demands for more polling units and wards delineation, promising the commission’s readiness to visit all nooks and crannies of the local governments to visit the demands of the people.
Mr. Jide Jimoh, Chairman, Yaba Local Council Development Area, pledged his support for the stakeholders’ demand on additional polling units and wards delineation, which he said would enable everyone to participate in the coming elections as well as fully represented at the local government level.
Mr. Oladele Adekanye, his Lagos Mainland Local Government counterpart, used the forum to call for the postponement of the elections, as, according to him, it is impossible for INEC to conduct a credible election in January 2011.
Adekanye opined that the electoral umpire needs more time to educate Nigerians about its programmes and to carry out lots of reforms within the commission before embarking on any election.
With this, he said, the country could expect a credible election.
The stakeholders’ forum was organised by LASIEC to gather memoranda from Lagosians on the creation of additional polling units and delineation of wards in the state.
—Paul Sanusi