Sanwo-Olu wins polling unit, says governance is continuum

•We Are Forming Next Government —Rhodes-Vivour

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, won his polling unit with a wide margin. While he and his party got 121 votes; the Labour Party’s Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour got two votes, just as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, got a vote.

Speaking after voting at some minutes past 10.00am at his Polling Unit 006, Ward E3, Sanwo-Olu, said yesterday’s election was about the continuity of the development and progress of the state, reason he felt his party the All Progressives Congress (APC) would carry the day.

The governor, who won his polling unit, preached peace and peaceful co-existence, maintaining that every resident of the state has a right to express them freely.

Sanwo-Olu said he was happy with the feedbacks he got from field as information he has revealed that every part of the state is calm. He added that the a few negative news were not verified yet.

He, therefore, implored all voters to be vigilant, saying when they see something, they should say something.

The governor condemned all forms of violence saying any form of intimidation is not accepted in the state.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, said he was confident that he would form the next government in Lagos.

Rhodes-Vivour expressed his confidence while speaking after casting his vote at the Polling Unit, 045, Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Lagos.

In places visited Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ad-hoc staff arrived late, while some protested over the claim that they were not paid on February 25, 2023 elections.

Gbadebo said: “Apart from dealing with the issue of voters suppression, we got widespread reports of intimidation in Kosofe, Shomolu, Ojo, Ikate and other parts of the state. INEC officials refused to go into Osborne and asked voters to go the road. INEC officials posted to Alimosho said they were not going to PUs because they were not paid. Thugs chased away all Labour Party agents, none indigenes and other LP voters…”

When asked if he had confidence in INEC, he said: “My confidence is not in INEC, my confidence is in the people who will vote for me…”

A voter at PU 019, Kodesho, Ade Shofola, said: “I hope people’s votes get counted. There is a lot of tension and more vested interests. I wish people cast their votes without inducement, but I have seen a lot of people writing their names and account details after voting to collect money. The atmosphere was happier here during the presidential election, but it’s different today.

“I hope Lagos will be the same after this election because there have been a lot of unnecessary things said, I value that we are all politicking but it’s important that we are developing a democracy that is sustainable because that is the only way we can grow our country. I hope after this election, everybody will think about what it means, we can just pay people N5000 to vote.

Speaking with The Guardian in Oshodi, Lagos, Zonal Commander, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Command, Ahmed Ghali, said: “We are ensuring that money is not used to induce voters, voters should be free to vote for whoever they want without being induced with money or any other thing.

“We have heard information that some people are dropping their account details after voting and we have tapped some of the accounts and we are going to investigate that. We have made some interceptions and we are going to work on them and charge them.