LG poll: Prince Ewenla accuses LASIEC of unjust disqualification of PDP candidates

A Southwest ex-officio of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Adedipe Dauda Ewenla, has accused the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) of deliberately disqualifying a majority of the party’s candidates ahead of the upcoming local government elections in the state.

In a statement sent to PM News on Tuesday, Ewenla alleged that LASIEC has refused to clear most of the PDP’s chairmanship and councillorship candidates despite the party submitting all required nomination documents within the official timeframe.

“LASIEC now claims that some of our documents are missing from their office and systems — a claim we strongly contest,” Ewenla protested.

He described the development as an abuse of institutional power, warning that it may disenfranchise PDP candidates and rob Lagosians of their right to choose from a wide pool of contenders during the local government elections scheduled for July 12, 2025.

According to Ewenla, PDP candidates and members of the party’s Lagos State Electoral Committee arrived at the LASIEC office as early as 8:00 a.m. on Monday, seeking clarity and resolution. However, after waiting the entire day, they were allegedly dismissed without meaningful engagement or resolution.

“They were merely asked to return on Wednesday, which is the final day of the screening process — with no assurance that they will even be attended to,” he added.

The PDP chieftain further alleged that the disqualification was politically motivated, arguing that the affected candidates are credible and popular figures who pose strong competition to ruling party aspirants.

“This is a targeted move to suppress the PDP because our candidates are widely accepted by the people. This attempt to frustrate our party is a threat to democracy,” he said.

Calling for urgent intervention, Ewenla appealed to civil society, Lagos residents, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take action in ensuring fairness and upholding democratic principles.

“Our great party, the PDP, deserves to participate in this election without obstruction, intimidation, or administrative manipulation,” he declared.

Efforts to reach LASIEC for an official response to the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The July 12 elections are expected to be keenly contested, with political observers watching closely how the electoral body handles screening, accreditation, and the final list of cleared candidates.