The recently concluded local government elections in Lagos State have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, who have labelled the process a “mockery of democracy” and called for its immediate cancellation.
Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Tunji Shelle, dismissed the poll as a mere formality, alleging that it was conducted to “fulfil all righteousness” rather than reflect the genuine will of the people.
“Nobody expected anything better from the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Shelle said. “We are gradually turning into a one-party state in Lagos. Everything the APC does is for selfish reasons, and this election was not about electing the best candidates. I dissociated myself completely from the process.”
He described the APC as an “albatross” to Nigeria’s development, insisting that such electoral practices were not new and have become a recurring concern.
In a related development, a faction of the Labour Party (LP) has urged the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to nullify the election results and organise a fresh poll that would truly represent the voice of the people.
Ken Asogwa, spokesperson for the Acting National Chair of the LP faction, Nenadi Usman, issued a statement on Sunday, condemning the election as a “sham and a clear red flag.”
“What transpired last Saturday was a mockery of an election,” he said, warning that it signalled a “troubling sign of what the 2027 general election could look like.”
Asogwa accused the APC of subverting democratic values and using the election to display its “disregard for due process.” He added that the conduct and outcome of the poll should alarm all Nigerians who cherish democracy, describing it as “unprecedented in Nigeria’s electoral history.”
Meanwhile, LASIEC has yet to respond to the growing calls for the annulment of the poll, which saw the APC sweep the majority of the council seats.
