23rd July, 2017
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has swept to a landslide victory in the Local Government elections conducted in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Saturday.
Chairmanship results released so far show that the APC has won the election, recording tremendous victory at the poll in the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDA of the state.
The party won convincingly in Ejigbo, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Epe, Lagos Island East, Badagry West, Badagry, Surulere, Ikorodu Central, Ikoyi/Obalende, Agboyi-Ketu, Eredo, Ojokoro, Eti Osa, Lagos Island, Badagry Central, Onigbongbo, Odiolowo/Ojuwoye, Ikorodu West, Oshodi/Isolo, Agege, Orile-Agege and others.
In Lagos Island, APC polled 14,692 votes to defeat the PDP. In Lagos Island East, APC scored 9,060 votes, while PDP got 1,128 votes. In Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, APC scored 7,112 votes, while PDP got 756. In Eredo LCDA, APC polled 10,910 votes while PDP got 737 votes.
In Epe, home of governor Akinwunmi Ambode, APC recorded landslide by polling 21,401 votes to defeat Labour Party, which got 948 votes. In Badagry West, APC polled 5,300 votes while PDP got 935 votes. In Ejigbo LCDA, APC got 4,876 votes to defeat PDP, which got 1,079 votes.
Also, in Ikeja, APC polled 6,191 votes while PDP got 990 votes. In Ikorodu West LCDA, APC won with 3,068 votes while PDP scored 555 votes. In Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, APC won with 10,701 votes, while PDP poled 1,759 votes. In Ojokoro LCDA, APC polled 6,700 to emerge winner.
In Eredo LCDA APC recorded a landslide, polling 10,910 votes to defeat the PDP, which got 737 votes. In Oshodi/Isolo APC won by polling 8, 429 votes to defeat the PDP, which got 3,928. APC also won Agege LG and Orile-Agege LCDA. In Onigbongbo LCDA, APC polled 1,631 votes to defeat Accord Party, which got 842.
Also, in Badagry LG, APC won the chairmanship election by polling 3,990 to defeat Accord Party which got 1,597 votes and PDP, 1,281 votes.
Other results are still being expected.
Meanwhile, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had after casting his vote on Saturday said that electing credible leaders would enable the residents to reap the dividends of democracy.
“We have tried at the state level, but we also need to put credible people at the local government level because that is the nearest government to our people. All that we have been advocating is participatory governance; if you do not take part, you will not be part of what is coming out; the whole essence is to elect people who will touch your needs,” he said.
The governor commended Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on the conduct of the election.
Ambode described the security arrangement for the exercise as impressive, expressing the optimism that it would be free and fair.
“From the reports I have received from all the other parts of Lagos State, we are pleased with what is going on; voting has commenced and the whole process has been very peaceful so far.
“You know council election has not taken place in the state in the last five years; we are happy that we are able to do this and enhance democratic values that we are trying to build in the country.
“Lagos is too cosmopolitan for us not to have credible elections; we need to enhance democracy in the country, and that is what we are trying to do today,” Ambode said.