4th October, 2010
Justice Afolabi Adbul-Fatai Adeyinka (Retd), Chairman, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), has said that the body has the constitutional power to create additional polling units and delineation of wards
Adeyinka stated this at a stakeholders forum on wards delineation and creation of additional polling units in Lagos State, held at the secretariat of the Shomolu Local Government Area, recently.
He stated that the commission is empowered to carry out the exercise by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Lagos State Independent Electoral Law, 2008, Section 3, Local Government (Administration) Law 1999 as amended, Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law 2003 and the Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law 2006.
He cited population contiguity, geography and cultural affinity as criteria for creating additional polling units and delineating the wards.
He said the forum is to enable the commission know the local governments in the state that would deserve additional polling units and wards. This, he said ,could only be done through the memorandum submitted by the stakeholders at the forum and through the commission’s visit to the area.
He assured Lagosians of making the findings of the commission public, at the end of the forum.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Gbolahan Bagostowe and Akeem Sulaiman, Chairmen Somolu Local Government Area and Bariga Local Council Development Area, Lagos, Nigeria, respectively, commended LASIEC for initiating the forum.
Hon Sulaiman, chairman, Bariga LCDA, said that apart from bringing government to the doorsteps of people at grassroots, the exercise would serve as catalyst for adequate representation in government.
—Paul Sanusi