Lagos LP calls for cancellation of Governorship poll

-Insists result not a reflection of Lagosians’ wish

IBRAHIM QUADRI

The leadership of  Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday called for the total cancellation of the governorship election last Saturday’s Governorship poll, saying it did not reflect the true wish of Lagosians.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared the incumbent, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the winner of the election.

Chairman of the party, Mrs Dayo Ekong; the LP Deputy Governorship Candidate in the state, Mr. Abiodun Oyefusi, among others made this call at a press conference, which took place at the party secretariat in GRA, Ikeja, describing the poll as worse than the February 25, 2023 Presidential/National Assembly exercise.

Ekong said the last election in Lagos State witnessed a series of attacks on members and supporters of the Labour Party, snatching of ballot boxes, among others, disclosing that she had just left hospital wards where she met some of them receiving treatment.

The party chieftain, while insisting on cancellation of the last poll exercise and holding a fresh one, said the party was resolved to seek redress in a court of law, with credible evidence to prove its case.

“Last Saturday’s election did not reflect the true wish of the people of Lagos State. It is not the people’s wish, whatever it takes, we are going to seek justice in a court of law. I want to believe the judiciary will do the right thing. If they fail, we will take the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“We have evidence to show the whole world, we have the video recordings of the dastardly acts of what took place during the last election. At the right time, we will make them available. There was no election in Lagos State last Saturday, it was not fair and credible,” she said.

Ekong said she was saddened by what took place last Saturday in Lagos State, lamenting that the country leaders, who were supposed to speak out and condemn the act, had failed the youth.

This was just as the party chieftain noted that the police and security agencies did their best to ensure a peaceful poll exercise, but said they were overwhelmed by the political thugs and hoodlums who were on a mission to disrupt the election and ensure the results favoured their paymasters.

She said consequent to this development, elections did not hold in some areas in the state, noting that people did not come out to vote in order to protect dear lives, adding: “Nobody deserved to die.”

Ekong, while insisting on cancellation of the result of the last poll exercise, urged Nigerians not to hive up in ensuring that the right thing was done in the country.

“In Lagos, we reject the result they announced and demand for total cancellation. Nigerians don’t give up, bearing in mind that the right path is to seek justice,” said.

The LP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Princess Oywfusi, also corroborated the party chairman, saying the election did not take place in most of the places in Lagos State, calling for the cancellation of the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Oyefusi, while justifying the call, said in her polling booth over 500 registered voters were on the INEC list, but disclosed that less than 10 came out to vote in last Saturday’s poll exercise.

“I am surprised INEC announced the result, how can they announce such a result?” she queried.

Also speaking, the party secretary, Sam Okpala, said the LP demanded an explanation from INEC on the huge amount of money it received to ensure that results were uploaded right away to the server which was never complied with, describing the Saturday poll as the worse ever in the annal of the country.

According to him, Nigerian youths were expectant of credible and fair elections but were disappointed to witness a worse exercise, saying that the exercise recorded killings, attacks, arrests of party members, snatching of ballot boxes and burning of ballot papers, among others.

“We are demanding total cancellation. There was no election. Whatever mandate they were handing over to anybody was being done on people’s blood. No election was held,” he said.