LASIEC fixes council polls for July

• PDP, APC, Oki commend commission
• Fayose group pledges peace, unity in South-West

The Chairperson, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), has fixed the next local council and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) election in Lagos State for July 2021.

In a statement yesterday, Justice Ayotunde Philips affirmed the commitment of LASIEC to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election but said the statutory notice would be published very soon.

MEANWHILE, Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Taofik Gani, said the decision of LASIEC was a welcome development as he expressed the readiness of the PDP and other parties for the exercise.

He appealed to Justice Philips to uphold her integrity by ensuring that elections were held as at when due without allowing any force to compel the commission to postpone the exercise.

Also, factional chairman of Lagos Chapter of APC, Mr. Fouad Oki, said it was a welcome development but urged the LASIEC boss to maintain the integrity she is known for by ensuring that the council elections hold as at when scheduled.

Spokesman of Lagos APC, Mr. Seye Oladejo, also applauded LASIEC for expressing readiness to conduct the election.

IN another development, in their bid to forge a common front and make the PDP more formidable in the South-West, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, again met with loyalists in Lagos, yesterday, with a clear decision to work with the Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja-led zonal executive to strengthen the party.

In a statement, Spokesman to Fayose, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said the stakeholders, drawn from the six states, had reiterated commitment to peace and unity in the party. urging stakeholders in other group to show similar commitment.

The statement read: “As committed stakeholders in the PDP, we have done what should be done after the congress by congratulating Arapaja and extending hands of fellowship to him. To us, despite the flaws, we have accepted results of the congress and the onus is now on the other side to reciprocate our gesture.”

Fayose commended the stakeholders, saying that he was surprised that despite the outcome of the congress, they have remained resolute in their support for the party.