LASIEC rules out election postponement

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has denied knowledge of plans to shift the July 22, 2017 date scheduled for the conduct of Local Council election in the state, affirming that the poll would hold as planned.

According to the commission’s Director, Public Affairs, Oladapo Olatunde, LASIEC chairman, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips, at a meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of political parties and candidates at the weekend, assured that preparations are being intensified as the commission has concluded training of its Electoral Officers in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

She added that the Electoral Officers have, in turn commenced the training of ad-hoc personnel whose names were compiled for the conduct of the elections in the various Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.

Phillips assured that the commission would “go the extra mile towards ensuring that we live up to the expectations of Lagosians and even people outside the state who expect nothing, but the best from us as Election Managers at the Local Government level of the State.”

On the case instituted against the commission by the National Conscience Party (NCP), Phillips noted that the party failed to obtain nomination forms for its candidates, adding that the commission was awaiting the verdict of the court on the matter.

She, however, expressed concern over the current high level of acrimony in the political environment in the state, stressing that the commission was poised to eliminating any conduct likely to impede the electoral process and cast doubts on the integrity of the commission as an Election Management Body.