Just In: APC Sweeps Lagos Local Government Elections Amid Low Turnout
APC Sweeps Lagos Local Government Elections Amid Low Turnout
Lagos, July 14 —Eagles Sight News reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a resounding victory in the Lagos State local government elections held on Saturday, clinching all 20 chairmanship seats and 375 out of 376 councillorship positions across the state.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) announced the results on Sunday, confirming that the ruling party maintained its long-standing dominance over grassroots politics in Nigeria’s commercial capital. The only exception to the APC’s near-total sweep was in Ward D of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won a single councillorship seat.
According to LASIEC, over 7 million registered voters were expected to participate in the polls to elect chairmen and councillors in the state’s 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 LCDAs. Voting took place across 13,325 polling units.
The commission reported that 15 of the 19 registered political parties fielded candidates in the elections.
Low Turnout and Logistical Challenges
Despite early deployment of election officials and generally smooth operations at many polling units, voter turnout remained markedly low in several areas, particularly within Lagos Island East LCDA. For example, at Polling Unit 013 on Moloney Street, voting commenced promptly at 8:10 a.m. after accreditation. However, out of 122 registered voters, only about 11 people were seen in the queue at the start of voting.
Similar patterns of voter apathy were recorded elsewhere. At Polling Unit 006, just five voters were accredited out of 62 registered. Polling Unit 007 recorded six voters out of 48, while Polling Unit 011—with 1,403 registered voters—also witnessed sparse attendance. Polling Units 016 and 018, with 309 and 116 registered voters respectively, reported similarly low engagement.
LASIEC officials were observed on site attending to voters without significant delays, and at least one police officer was deployed to each location to maintain order. Despite these measures, the turnout was described as disappointing by election observers.
LASIEC Chairperson, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retired), acknowledged reports of low participation and initial challenges distributing materials to remote areas. During a briefing, she noted that while some locations experienced encouraging turnout, others remained largely empty throughout the day.
“In some places, the turnout was very impressive. In others, voters came out at their own pace,” she said. “Someone sent me a message that it didn’t take him more than five minutes at the polling unit. So we may not really know how many people came out.”
She added that logistical delays in certain areas were eventually resolved, allowing voting to proceed smoothly in most parts of the state.
Lack of Confidence and Awareness
Interviews with some residents revealed a lack of enthusiasm for the polls, with many citing poor public awareness and skepticism about the electoral process. Some voters expressed doubt that their participation would influence outcomes, contributing to the widespread apathy.
As of midday Saturday, voting continued peacefully in Lagos Island East and other parts of Lagos, but reports indicated that turnout remained low across most polling units.
According to LASIEC, Lagos State has over 7 million registered voters, of whom 6.2 million have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). However, more than 845,000 PVCs remain uncollected—an issue observers said likely contributed to the low participation.
The elections covered all 57 chairmanship and vice-chairmanship seats, along with 376 councillorship positions across the LGAs and LCDAs.
The 20 LGAs in Lagos include Agege, Alimosho, Ikeja, Surulere, Mushin, Kosofe, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, Ikorodu, and others. The 37 LCDAs range from Ojodu and Itire-Ikate to Yaba and Coker-Aguda.
With this outcome, the APC has again consolidated its control over Lagos State’s grassroots political landscape, reinforcing the state’s reputation as a stronghold of the ruling party.