Despite starting behind schedule Lagos witness high turn-out, pockets of violence

Patrick Okohue

The 2019 Presidential and National Assembly election in most part of Lagos could not start at the expected 8am, as election materials arrived in most polling station in the state between 9.30 am and 11 am, but the turn-out of enthusiastic voters was high in most parts of the state. In most of the polling stations monitored, polling did not start as at when due, for example as at 9.15 am, the Ikosi Senior Secondary School, premises where the election materials were being dispatched by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA) under Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, was still a beehive of activities as election materials was still being dispatched to the different polling stations. Also at the Wasimi Community Secondary School 11 in Maryland area of Lagos, party agents told our correspondent that voting did not start until about 9.30 am, as the INEC officials did not arrive on time. This position was corroborated by the Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group, Dr. (Mrs) Abiola Akioyode-Afolabi, while briefing journalist during the group’s situation room briefing at the Situation Room at the Radison Blu Hotel, in Ikeja, saying that a situation of late take-off of election across the country is not good enough. Dr. (Mrs) Akioyode-Afolabi who briefed the media in conjunction with Prof. Wellington Oyibo of the University of Lagos, chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji OwasanoyeBinger Shintema also of the ICPC, Prof Abdulahi Shehu, Prof Adigun Agbaje, Dr. Kabiru Adamu among others also took report of the election from across the six geo political zones of the country. There was also a report of electoral infractions in parts of Lagos like Okota area of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government area were at Polling Unit 18 located at junction of Ohafia/Ago Palace Way, people from a particular tribe were allegedly prevented from voting leading to crisis that later led to the destruction of ballot boxes and burning of ballot papers. Just as pockets of violence was also reported in Mushin area of the state and Oshodi. This is despite that security was relaxed in most parts of the state, making it easier for election monitors and observers to move around more easily.