•A deserted major road in Lagos today
As Lagos residents troop out to cast their votes in the local government elections, major roads leading to the nation’s commercial capital have been deserted.
The Nigeria Police had announced that movement would be restricted from 6 am to 3 pm in the state.
Our crew on the ground observed today that there were no vehicular or human movements from Otedola Road to Ojota and Yaba, reports Channels TV.
In the Ojodu LCDA, there were skeletal movements on Ogunusi Road in Ogba and the Berger bus stop.
A security patrol vehicle was used to barricade a section of the road around the Berger pedestrian bridge.
Motorists cleared by security agents in the area were told to reverse and use the expressway.
Registered and accredited Lagosians with the Permanent Voter Card (PVCs) are expected to elect their preferred representatives for chairmanship, vice-chairmanship, and councillorship positions across the 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.
There are 13,325 polling units in the 376 wards spread across the state.
Lagos has an estimated population of 20 million people.
Currently, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) maintains political control of the state, which hosts the headquarters of many corporate organisations.
It also contributes a large chunk of revenue to the federal government.
It is, however, not clear whether the dynamics will change as the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) conducts the crucial exercise for people at the grassroots.
In the buildup to today’s election, the LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, said no political party was restrained from participating in the elections.
Data from the body shows that 15 out of the 19 registered political parties in the country have been confirmed for the chairmanship, vice chairmanship, and councillorship positions in the 20 LGAs and the 37 LCDAs in the state.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile told our correspondent that the electoral body would not use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the election.
“There are some electronics that we are going to use in between. We can go manual,” she said.
The councils where elections will be held include Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Ojo, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu, and Surulere.
The LCDAs are Orile Agege, Ifelodun, Agbado-Oke Odo, Ayobo-Ipaja, Egbe-Idimu, Mosan-Okunola, Oriade, Apapa Iganmu, Olorunda, Badagry West, Eredo, Ikosi-Ejirin, Ikoyi-Obalende, Iru/Victoria Island, and Lekki.
Other LCDAs are Ojokoro, Onigbongbo, Ojodu, Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Ijede, Imota, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Agboyi-Ketu, Ikosi-Isheri, Lagos Island East, Yaba, Odi-Olowo, Iba, Oto-Awori, Ejigbo, Isolo, Bariga, Coker-Aguda, and Itire-Ikate.
In Agege, the focus is on Abdulganiyu Obasa, the son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, who is contesting the vice-chairmanship seat of Agege LGA.
