Chairman, Oshodi Local Government, Kehinde Oloyede Almaroof, has commended the local council election as youths took to the streets and major roads to play football.

Almaroof, popularly known as Kendoo, who spoke with The Guardian after casting his vote at Polling Unit (PU) 053, Emmanuel Street, Oshodi, Lagos, rated the election peaceful and expressed confidence.

Lagos State comprises 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC)’s notice confirmed that the election would include 20 Local Governments, 37 LCDAs, and 376 wards.

With the current local government administration nearing its end, LASIEC has ramped up preparations for the election process.

He said: “The election has been smooth, seamless. We believe that at the end of the day, it will turn out to be a credible election.

“I am confident of winning because I have given the dividends of democracy to the people, and this is payback time.”
Speaking on his projects, he said: “We are standing out in terms of infrastructure; we have done 65 roads in the last four years, we have provided 60 boreholes for the people, and built ultra-modern schools that defeat the ones my kids can attend. We have empowered 10,000 youths, and that can be verified.”

When asked about the preparation of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), he said: “I will score the agency 85 per cent.”

Speaking with *The Guardian* in Ejigbo on why he was playing football instead of voting, Adegboyega Adeyemi said: “I am not voting because people in government are not helping our condition. People in government in Lagos State are groups of assassins, they are wasting our future, they don’t have any vision for us. Today is the best day to kill them. Everything about them is negative.”

When asked about his confidence in a better country, he said: “Nigeria will get better when we do mass burial for people in government. Mass burial is the only solution.”

On his part, a voter, Adeleke Ibrahim, said: “The chairman of Oshodi Local Government has done a lot; he constructed several roads, and we want him to continue the good work. I am charging anyone who will emerge to continue the good work.”

Labour Party (LP) candidate for the Ikorodu Local Council Area, Aweso Abdulazeez Adekunle, expressed confidence that the crisis rocking the party would not have a negative impact on the party’s performance in the election.

He said: “From the look of things, I don’t have a doubt that this election is a done deal. I am appealing to the people of Ikorodu to vote for me. I am assuring them that I will not disappoint them.”

When asked about his confidence in beating the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate for the seat, he said: “I am fully ready, I have the war chest. I have my t’s crossed and i’s dotted, everything is intact.”

On his plan for the people, he said: “I will improve on security and infrastructure in Ikorodu. I will improve the educational system. I will reorient the teachers. If it goes wrong for those building the leaders of tomorrow, the foundation will be faulty.”

On the healthcare system, he said: “We don’t have enough primary healthcare systems in Ikorodu, so we will make sure that all the wards have enough healthcare systems to cater for the needs of the people.

“Accountability is always my watchword, and I can always be held to it.”

On the party crises and recent political leaders’ adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), he said: “This is not going to affect the election. Coalition is something we leave for later.”