The Accord Party has strongly condemned the conduct of the recent Lagos State local government elections, urging the National Assembly to abolish State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to ensure credible grassroots elections. Speaking on Sunday, the party’s Lagos State Chairman, Dele Oladeji, criticized the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for its lack of independence and alleged bias during the polls held on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
Oladeji argued that state electoral bodies like LASIEC are inherently compromised and fail to guarantee the will of the people at the grassroots level. He called for the transfer of responsibilities for local government elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he believes would enhance democracy and foster genuine political competition at the local level.
“Nigerians are ready for better elections, but when the umpire is biased, there is nothing they can do, and lack of confidence in the process is the root cause of apathy,” Oladeji stated. He described LASIEC’s preparations for the election as haphazard and highlighted the disenfranchisement of many opposition candidates as evidence of the commission’s failure.
Oladeji dismissed concerns that INEC would be overburdened by taking over local elections, asserting that INEC has matured over the years and is fully capable of efficiently managing council polls just as it does state and national elections.
He further criticized LASIEC’s election formula, saying it was flawed and rendered the election neither free nor fair. “When candidates properly nominated by political parties are disenfranchised by the umpire, and some are unsure if they are even on the ballot until election day, we cannot call that election credible,” he said.
The call from Accord echoes wider concerns from civil society groups and opposition parties about the transparency and fairness of the Lagos LG polls. The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and organizations like Enough is Enough Nigeria have also faulted LASIEC for poor communication, late release of candidate lists, and a lack of stakeholder engagement.
With 15 political parties participating in the elections, the controversy surrounding LASIEC’s management has intensified calls for reform to restore public confidence in grassroots electoral processes across Nigeria.
Accord’s demand for the abolition of SIECs and the centralization of local elections under INEC highlights the urgent need to address systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s electoral framework to strengthen democracy at all levels.