Councillorship bye-election: LASIEC assures stakeholders of credible poll

The Chairman, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission ( LASIEC ), Justice Ayotunde Phillips, has assured stakeholders that the Commission would live up to expectation as an unbiased electoral umpire in the conduct of the Councillorship  bye- election into Ward C ( Owode Orile ) in Bariga Local Council Development Area of the State, pointing out that the Commission had no “preferred political party or candidate for the bye-election”.

Phillips gave the assurance in an address delivered on her behalf by a Commissioner in the Commission, Mrs Toyin Ibrahim- Famakinwa, at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Commission on the conduct of bye-election to fill the vacant Councillorship seat in Bariga LCDA, scheduled for Tuesday, 18^th December, 2018.

The Chairman further stressed that the Commission would ensure that the votes cast by eligible voters in the affected Ward would determine the winner of the election, adding that eligible voters in the area should, therefore, actively participate in the election so that they could vote for the candidate who would best represent them in government at the grassroots level.

While commiserating with the family, the people of Bariga Local Council Development Area and political associates  of Mr. Solomon Awokoya, the former Councillor who represented the Ward before his death, Hon. Justice Phillips pointed out that the Commission was obliged by law to conduct the bye-election to fill the vacuum arising from the death of the deceased.

She noted that the stakeholders’ forum was organised by the Commission to enable stakeholders and the Commission interact and exchange ideas with a view to ensuring the success of the electoral process that would culminate in  the election of a new Councillor for the Ward.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Divisional Police Officers for Bariga and Pedro Police Stations and the Director, Department of State Service in the area assured residents in the area of their safety, warning,  however, that anybody that might cause a breach of the peace would be arrested and punished in accordance with the law. They, therefore, appealed to people to always conduct themselves peacefully and live in harmony with others.

Meanwhile, the Commission has also disclosed that collection of nomination forms by political parties would commence tomorrow, Thursday, 29^th November, 2018 while the closing date for the submission of nomination forms is Wednesday, 5^th December, 2018.

Leaders of political parties, traditional rulers, community leaders and other key stakeholders attended the meeting.