The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has denied the allegations made by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as false and misleading, stating that the commission did not unjustly disqualify its candidates from participating in the forthcoming Local Government and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) elections scheduled for Saturday, July 12, 2025.
In a statement made available to Lagos Panorama on Tuesday, LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (Retd.), tackled the claims, dismissing them as a false representation of facts.
The statement read: “The attention of LASIEC has been drawn to a press statement signed by Prince (Dr.) Adedipe Dauda Ewenla, a Southwest ex-officio of the PDP, alleging that the commission unjustly disqualified PDP candidates from the upcoming local elections. These allegations are false and misleading,”.
LASIEC has provided clarification that the validation exercise for candidates submitted by registered political parties began on Thursday, June 26, 2025, consistent with the timetable and guidelines released on April 12, 2025.
The process involves verifying credentials in compliance with the Lagos State Independent Electoral Law, 2008 (as amended).
The commission observed that some PDP candidates failed to provide all required documents during their scheduled screening and were advised to utilize a supplementary window on Tuesday, July 2, and Wednesday, July 3, 2025.
The commission stated: “Unfortunately, some of these candidates arrived on Monday, June 30, during the session allotted to other political parties. Their impatience led to a disruptive protest that affected the ongoing process,”.
LASIEC added that the protest disrupted the validation exercise, forcing its postponement for other parties to the following day, July 1.
Reaffirming its commitment, LASIEC said: “We remain dedicated to conducting a credible, transparent, and inclusive election on July 12. We assure Lagosians that all political parties will be given a level playing field. Your Voice, Your Vote, Our Mandate.”
