The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on Wednesday presented Certificates of Return to the Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, and Councillors-elect from the recently concluded 2025 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LG/LCDA) elections.
The ceremony, held at LASIEC Headquarters in Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, marked the official affirmation of the public’s mandate to the new leadership.
The Chairman of LASIEC, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, presided over the event, describing it as a monumental ceremony and a hallmark of democratic culture.
She expressed profound gratitude to God and all Lagos residents for their active participation and support throughout the electoral process.
“This event is more than a ceremony as it is the hallmark of democratic culture culminating in the actualisation of resilient months of Strategic Planning, Civic Participation and Institutional efforts,” Justice Okikiolu-Ighile stated.
The LASIEC chairman particularly lauded the collective efforts of various stakeholders, including political thought leaders, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), candidates, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, youth organisations, market men and women, faith-based organisations, persons living with disability (PWDs), the media, election observers, and the electorate.
She also commended the professionalism and dedication of LASIEC staff and ad-hoc personnel, acknowledging the operational and logistical challenges encountered in the early hours of the exercise but praising their steadfast commitment.
While addressing journalists, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile highlighted the peaceful nature of the elections, noting that observers reported it as one of the very peaceful elections for local government polls.
The chairman described the 24 per cent voter turnout as unprecedented and a substantial improvement from the approximately 10 per cent recorded in 2021.
“This is unprecedented, meaning that people came out more than they did in 2021,” she said, attributing this increase to “a successful and robust voter awareness campaign that utilised public transport branding and billboards across the state.”
LASIEC also expanded the number of polling units from about 8,000 in 2021 to 13,325 in 2025, which helped to reduce crowding and streamline the voting process.
“I personally visited numerous polling units and received video evidence confirming the increased participation,” she said.
The chairman extended real kudos to the security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS, NSCDC, and Operation MESSA, for their zero-tolerance approach and effective deployment that maintained law and order.
She noted that reports of issues were promptly addressed by the Commissioner of Police.
“Favourable weather conditions, with no excessive heat or rain, also contributed to voter comfort on election day. Despite some initial difficulties for voters in locating their units, LASIEC provided vehicles to transport them to the correct polling stations after verification, ensuring all eligible voters had the opportunity to cast their ballots,” she said.
Looking Ahead: Continuous Engagement and Electoral Reforms
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile announced that LASIEC would not be resting on its laurels.
“A post-election retreat for members, Electoral Officers (EOs), and Assistant Electoral Officers (AEOs) is scheduled for next week to evaluate the process critically, address challenges such as late starts and material distribution and discuss instances of hostility faced by officials.
“The commission has also devised a year-round timetable for continuous engagement, emphasising voter education and regular stakeholder meetings. The goal is to make LASIEC a household name and clarify its functions, often confused with those of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” she said.
The chairman reiterated that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are not within LASIEC’s mandate, urging citizens to utilise INEC’s portal for PVC collection, transfers, or new registrations.
“We are not going to sleep. We’re not going to bed. No. Instead, we’re going to continue to fly for the sake of the government,” she concluded, signalling LASIEC’s commitment to strengthening democracy at the grassroots level in Lagos State.
